Gold Coast Suns vs North Melbourne Kangaroos: AFL live scores

The Gold Coast Suns will be looking to make it two wins from two starts in their stint in Darwin when the face the struggling North Melbourne. Join The Roar for live scores and rolling coverage from 4:35pm (AEST).

The Suns have a losing record against all 17 other sides. That can change this afternoon, with an expected victory over the Kangaroos to square the ledger at eight wins apiece.

More significant, though, is that the Suns are putting together possibly their best ever season, and certainly the best since reaching the cusp of finals in 2014. With a strong defence, an improving midfield and a forward line that has coped superbly with the pre-season loss of spearhead Ben King, the Suns are no longer the AFL’s easybeats.

They’ve won three of their last four games, including wins over finals contender Sydney and top-four hopeful Fremantle; while they clobbered Hawthorn by 67 points in Darwin last week. With a soft draw ahead, playing only two sides in the current top eight for the rest of the season, Stuart Dew can dream of a maiden finals appearance in the Suns’ twelfth season in the AFL.

In contrast, the Roos are heading nowhere fast. Of their ten losses to start 2022, eight have come by 47 points or more, including all of the last seven.

North were soundly beaten by St Kilda to the tune of 53 points last week, and are only ahead of West Coast on the ladder – even then, their percentage of 53.2 is a perfect illustration of how inept they have been this season.

Making matters worse, forward Cameron Zurhaar will miss the trip to Darwin with a foot injury, though key defender Ben McKay returns to shore up the backline. Also helping the cause is the fact that reborn Suns tall Levi Casboult will miss, opening the door for inaugural Sun Sam Day to try and lock down a spot in the best 22 once more.

Game information

Opening bounce: 4:35pm (AEST)
Venue: TIO Stadium, Darwin
TV: Fox Footy
Live stream: Kayo Sports, Foxtel Now, Foxtel Go
Betting: Suns $1.09, Kangaroos $7.50 (odds via PlayUp)

Gold Coast

B: W. Powell, S. Collins, C. Graham

HB: J. Farrar, C. Ballard, C. Budarick

C: L. Weller, T. Miller (c), B. Ellis

HF: N. Anderson, S. Day, B. Ainsworth

F: I. Rankine, M. Chol, N. Holman

FOLL: J. Witts (c), M. Rowell, D. Swallow

I/C: A. Davies, O. Markov, J. Jeffrey, M. Rosas

EMG: J. Sharp, J. Tsitas, C. Burgess, C. Constable

IN: Farrar, Day

OUT: Sharp, Casboult

North Melbourne

B: L. McDonald, B. McKay, A. Corr

HB: B. Scott, J. Walker, K. Turner

C: T. Powell, L. Davies-Uniacke, F. Perez

HF: J. Horne-Francis, N. Larkey, P. Curtis

F: T. Xerri, J. Ziebell (c), J. Anderson

FOLL: T. Goldstein, J. Simpkin, T. Thomas

I/C: C. Taylor, L. Young, H. Greenwood, K. Hayden

EMG: J. Stephenson, A. Bosenavulagi, J. Archer, M. McGuinness

IN: McKay

OUT: Zurhaar