Australian Football

Match Report

Gold Coast was missing two of their most experienced players for this clash against Fremantle – captain Gary Ablett and important midfielder Michael Rischitelli. The Suns’ task of winning their first game at Metricon Stadium got considerably harder when stand-in skipper Nathan Bock left the field in the second quarter with a broken leg and was subsequently ruled out for the entire season. But younger players stepped up in their absence. Harley Bennell did it all (37 possessions, three goals) as he inspired the home team to within a whisker of victory. Former rugby league player Karmichael Hunt continued to defy critics with another commanding display in the midfield, which included a goal after the half-time siren. There was extra spice to this game after Dockers coach Ross Lyon slammed Gold Coast in the week leading into the game. Lyon had claimed the Suns didn’t respect his side following comments by Ablett and Trent McKenzie on social media sites. But the Dockers were able to find a way to win. Captain Matthew Pavlich led the way in the final quarter, kicking the goal that ultimately won Fremantle the match. Dockers speedster Stephen Hill looked to be trouble with a corked thigh throughout the contest, while key Suns players David Swallow and Jared Brennan were also troubled by injury.

GOALS
Gold Coast: Bennell 3, Swallow 3, Iles, Hunt, Russell, Brennan, Shaw, Caddy, Brown, Day

Fremantle: Mayne 3, De Boer 3, Neale 2, Crowley, Pavlich, Clarke, Mzungu, Roberton, Hill


BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Bennell, Prestia, Hunt, Swallow, Warnock, Iles

Fremantle: Mayne, Crowley, De Boer, Pearce, Ibbotson


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Gold Coast: Bennell, Prestia, Swallow, Hunt, Illes
Fremantle: Mayne, De Boer, Pearce, Crowley, Mundy

COACHES COMMENTS
Guy McKenna (GC): I said to the boys after the game I'm hoping that burns in their guts a bit. It was a great step forward after last week. We've shown bits and pieces like that but I thought the consistency in effort (was there). We still made some fundamental errors, but we made some errors having a go which was the pleasing thing.

Ross Lyon (Frem): They had nine stoppage goals … we haven’t had one kicked against us all year. There are some real holes there, which we can tighten up, but it was just inconsistent effort. We go away with some really big lessons from this game as a football club about not being an if: 'if' we turn up and 'if' we get effort.

Umpires: Nicholls, Kamolins, Mitchell