Gold Coast have won the first premiership in the expansion club’s 13-year history, taking out the VFL flag with a 29-point grand final win over Werribee.
Foundation Suns player Sam Day kicked two goals and 16-year-old Gold Coast academy prospect Leo Lombard kicked their side’s last goal of the game on Sunday at Ikon Park as they beat the Tigers 17.10 (112) to 14.9 (93).
Forward Shaun Mannaugh was mighty for Werribee with six goals and won the Norm Goss Medal as best afield.
The Suns, who were founded in 2009 and joined the AFL two years later, are yet to make a finals series at senior level.
GWS joined the AFL a year later and their sixth finals series ended on Friday night with an agonising one-point preliminary final loss to Collingwood.
But now the Suns have beaten the Giants to a first piece of silverware.
A goal to Werribee midway through the last quarter reduced the margin to 19 points, but AFL player Mabior Chol calmly slotted the sealer for the Suns in time-on and Lombard kicked his goal two minutes later.
Lombard’s cameo will have caught the eye of new Suns coach Damien Hardwick, who is bullish about the playing talent at the club.
Among the veterans, Sunday was the last game for Connor Blakely after 78 AFL games at Fremantle and Gold Coast.
Day, 31, played his 150th AFL game earlier this season and is one of only two AFL foundation players still at the Suns, along with former captain David Swallow.
“I’ve been here for a long time and you only have to pan over the boys over there to see how much it meant to us,” Day told Channel Seven on the ground after the final siren.
“We locked in this finals series with the goal of getting this done and we get to bring it home, which is really special.”
Day paid tribute to captain James Tsitas, who missed the grand final due to suspension.
“We wouldn’t be in this position without James, no doubt about it – our captain and our soul,” Day said.
Chol, who is the subject of trade speculation, kicked four goals while second-year AFL midfielder Elijah Hollands had 30 disposals for the Suns.
© AAP
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