Round 10 – Gold Coast Suns v Port Adelaide: Suns melt Port

Jed Walter and Ned Moyle booted three goals each for the seven win, three losses Gold Coast while Noah Anderson was magnificent in the middle and as the running linkman into attack. He finished with 33 touches.

 

Jarrod Witts, who replaced the injured Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, showed his experience and smarts in the ruck in tandem with Moyle for the impressive Suns outfit.

 

Port, as so often this season missed easy opportunities especially late when the Power rallied to close to within 22 points with 10 minutes of the game left. Joe Richards (three goals) missed an easy chance late in the game for Port Adelaide, while earlier the yips continued for Mitch Georgiades (1.3) who was well held by the reliable and rugged Sam Collins.

 

Gold Coast’s athletic Mac Andrew blanketed Jack Whitlock and Andrew’s teammates Bohdi Uwland, Daniel Rioli and energetic John Noble provided superb drive out of the backline.

 

The Power’s Zak Butters possibly will get in the Brownlow Medal votes again and he handled the ball as if it was dry in the humid, slippery Darwin conditions. He had 35 disposals. With Jason Horne-Francis again battling to influence the match, Jase Burgoyne (28 possessions), youngster Joe Berry (two goals, 19) and Richards were sparks and the returning Esava Ratugolea blanketed Coleman Medal leading goalkicker Ben King.

 

Ewan Mackinlay booted two classy goals, the first of which where he evaded defenders, took two bounces and slotted a goal from 50 metres. His second was in the midst of a Port mini-comeback in the final term when he crumbed the pack. Debutant Tom Anastasopoulos impressed for the Power but the overall talent and class was clearly too much for the South Australian side.

 

WAYWARDNESS CONTINUES FOR PORT

 

Joe Richards, Mitch Georgiades and Jack Whitlock missed sitters on Friday night but kick the hard ones. It’s all psychological and the ‘nothing to lose’ mindset is applied when they approach the more difficult shots on goal and more often than not nail them. It’s the easy ones that have proven costly time and time again.

 

 

BIG NED IS A WEAPON

Gold Coast Suns’ athletic giant Ned Moyle is an imposing figure who can easily play as a deep forward as effectively as he can in the ruck. He did both roles to perfection on a steamy Darwin night. The tag team of he and the returning Jarrod Witts will worry all teams this season and in the finals in which the Suns are likely to feature heavily in.

 

 

GOLD COAST     5.2    11.3    14.6    15.8 (98)
PORT ADELAIDE    2.4    6.6    7.8    10.13 (73)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Moyle 3, Walter 3, Z.Uwland, B.Uwland, Petracca, Noble, Lombard, King, Jeffrey, Gulbin, Graham
Port Adelaide: Richards 3, Mackinlay 2, Berry 2, Georgiades, Farrell, Durdin

BEST
Gold Coast: Anderson, Collins, Noble, Andrew, Rowell, B.Uwland, Moyle
Port Adelaide: Butters, Burgoyne, Berry, Drew, Richards, Ratugolea,

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Weller (hamstring), Graham (concussion)
Port Adelaide: Jones (concussion)

LATE CHANGES
Gold Coast: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (ankle) replaced by Jarrod Witts
Port Adelaide: Nil

Crowd: TBC at TIO Stadium

 

Read more from Nick Kossatch HERE

 

To read other Round 10 match reports click HERE.

 

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