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Gold Coast Suns
77
33
Western Bulldogs
72
| Fourth Quarter | ||||
| C. Burgess |  | 33:23 | ||
| 26:04 | | B. Gowers | ||
| W. Powell |  | 24:38 | ||
| 22:48 | | B. Smith | ||
| 19:30 | | L. Hunter | ||
| D. MacPherson | | 16:09 | ||
| 13:42 | | T. McLean | ||
| J. Bowes | | 10:56 | ||
| J. Bowes | | 9:15 | ||
| 8:45 | | Rushed | ||
| C. Burgess | | 7:01 | ||
| 5:19 | | M. Wallis | ||
| 8.8 (56) | Third Quarter [+] | 6.10 (46) | ||
| D. MacPherson | | 29:59 | ||
| A. Miles | | 28:38 | ||
| A. Sexton | | 25:32 | ||
| 22:27 | | E. Richards | ||
| A. Sexton | | 20:01 | ||
| 18:14 | | B. Gowers | ||
| 13:34 | | M. Wallis | ||
| 10:04 | | M. Wallis | ||
| P. Wright | | 8:28 | ||
| 0:41 | | M. Bontempelli | ||
| 5.6 (36) | Second Quarter [+] | 4.7 (31) | ||
| D. Swallow | | 25:42 | ||
| A. Sexton | | 24:23 | ||
| W. Powell | | 22:11 | ||
| 20:16 | | C. Daniel | ||
| P. Wright | | 16:10 | ||
| 14:12 | | M. Wallis | ||
| D. MacPherson | | 11:32 | ||
| 9:57 | | T. Liberatore | ||
| 7:33 | | Rushed | ||
| 2:00 | | L. Hunter | ||
| 1:10 | | W. Hayes | ||
| 4.2 (26) | First Quarter [+] | 2.3 (15) | ||
| 27:16 | | B. Gowers | ||
| C. Ballard | | 24:19 | ||
| 22:13 | | M. Suckling | ||
| 19:37 | | E. Wood | ||
| I. Rankine | | 18:19 | ||
| C. Burgess | | 15:25 | ||
| D. MacPherson | | 13:15 | ||
| C. Burgess | | 11:20 | ||
| 7:54 | | L. Hunter | ||
| 6:32 | | M. Bontempelli | ||
| I. Rankine | | 1:48 | ||
Show Preview
The Gold Coast Suns have recorded a win to get their JLT Series underway, getting past the Western Bulldogs at the Great Barrier Reef Arena in Mackay by five points.
In humid conditions where the ball was slippery and hard to handle, both teams will take plenty from the performance as we head towards the start of the regular season in just a couple of weeks time.
The Suns came out of the gates at the start of the match firing, kicking the first four goals on the trot, with Izak Rankine and Jack Lukosius among their best during the early part of the contest.
The Bulldogs suffered from a lack of accuracy in front of goals, but would soon get back into the contest, getting themselves back into the frame with a run of four.
From there, it was pretty much goal for goal, with the lead swapping multiple times during the second half, and the two sides looking fairly evenly matched across the ground.
While it was Rankine and Lukosius starting well for the Gold Coast, Brayden Fiorini, Jarrod Harbrow, Ben Ainsworth and Lachie Weller were their best for the most part, all going north of 20 disposals.
Mitch Wallis had three goals in a losing cause for the Bulldogs and played a super game, while Jack Macrae, Caleb Daniels and Lachie Hunter all have cause to say they were best on ground for the visitors.
Final score
Gold Coast Suns 11.11 (77)
Western Bulldogs 10.12 (72)
The Gold Coast Suns and Western Bulldogs will be both out for improvement in 2019, and begin their final preparations for the season with a JLT series game in Mackay. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:40pm (AEDT).
The Suns have had another rough off-season after finishing just one spot away from the wooden spoon 12 months ago.
Losing Tom J Lynch – who was undoubtedly their best player in 2018 – is going to sting the club, but there have been a couple of other exits which have them firming for the wooden spoon this time around.
Steven May is among those, and it could hurt their defensive output, which already struggled throughout 2018.
While they have brought in a handful of players, including Corey Ellis and Anthony Miles from Richmond (Miles will play tonight), their signing pool is pretty bleak.
What their best 22 looks like is still right up in the air ahead of the season, and so they will be aiming to use these couple of games to get themselves worked out ahead of what is likely to be a pretty tough season.
The one thing to watch out for this evening from a Gold Coast point of view is what they can make of any opportunities up front. Alex Sexton and Peter Wright have big rolls to play this year at the half forward line, and if they can link with players like David Swallo and Jarrod Witts, then that may be their only chance to really stay in the clash.
The Bulldogs, on the other hand, finished 13th last season, which, for a team only a few years removed from a premiership, wasn’t good enough.
They were well below where they needed to be, but the Bulldogs rely on a couple of key players, and as soon as they struggle with injuries or form, the side don’t stand a chance against strong sides.
The two players who have to lead the way are Marcus Bontempelli in the forward line and Easton Wood at the back. If they do the job, then the team tend to rise around them.
Bontempelli staying fit is crucial to the Bulldogs’ chances this year, and it’s a good sign he has been named to start in their first JLT Series match.
We will also get our first look at Bailey Smith, who was taken at number seven in the draft by the Bulldogs, while the other player to watch is Tom Liberatore, who needs a big year in the blue and white.
Prediction
The Suns are going to be in for an extremely tough year, and we are probably going to get our first glimpse of that here against a Bulldogs side who, while not amazing themselves, will do more than enough to account for the Gold Coast.
Western Bulldogs by 25.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this JLT Series match from 7:40pm (AEDT) and don’t forget to add a comment in the section below.
First bounce: 7:40pm (AEDT)
Venue: Great Barrier Reef Arena, MacKay
TV: Live, Fox Footy 504
Online: Live, Foxtel App, Foxtel now, Kayo Sports
Betting: Bulldogs $1.30, Suns $3.55
Umpires: Shaun Ryan, Nicholas Brown and Hayden Gavine
Gold Coast Suns
B: 38. Jesse Joyce, 16. Rory Thompson, 5. Jarrod Harbrow
HB: 31. Jordan Murdoch, 25. Sam Collins, 10. Charlie Ballard
C: 14. Lachie Weller, 11. Touk Miller, 33. George Horlin-Smith
HF: 6. Alex Sexton, 30. Peter Wright, 41. Jack Lukosius
F: 37. Izak Rankine, 23. Sean Lemmens, 9. Ben Ainsworth
FOLL: 28. Jarrod Witts, 24. David Swallow, 4. Jack Martin
INT: 2. Anthony Miles, 3, Jack Bowes, 8. Brayden Fiorini, 13. Callum Ah Chee, 27. Will Powell, 29. Chris Burgess, 34. Ben King, 44. Darcy Macpherson
EMG: 12. Sam Day, 15. Aaron Young, 40. Jacob Heron, 45. Jacob Dawson
Western Bulldogs
B: 10. Easton Wood, 33. Aaron Naughton, 38. Dale Morris
HB: 9. Hayden Crozier, 12. Zaine Cordy, 35. Caleb Daniel
C: 7. Lachie Hunter, 11. Jack Macrae, 20. Ed Richards
HF: 26. Billy Gowers, 44. Tim English, 22. Sam Lloyd
F: 16. Toby McLean, 4. Marcus Bontempelli, 21. Tom Liberatore
FOLL: 8. Jackson Trengove, 5. Josh Dunkley, 3. Mitch Wallis
Int: 1. Matt Suckling, 6. Bailey Smith, 15. Taylor Duryea, 27. Patrick Lipinski, 32. Will Hayes, 34. Bailey Williams
EMG: 13. Josh Schache, 14. Rhylee West, 25. Ben Cavarra, 29. Tory Dickson, 30. Fergus Greene, 40. Lachlan Young
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