Australian Football

Match Report

League leader Fremantle has returned to the winners list with a hard-fought win over a gallant Gold Coast on a wet afternoon at Carrara on Saturday. The Dockers, having suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of Richmond a week earlier, were expected to make short work of the bottom side, but the Suns fought had for the entire match and were within a goal of causing a major upset with just a couple of minutes remaining until a late free kick and goal saw Fremantle sneak home by seven points. 

Former Lion and Tiger Andrew Raines got the Suns off to a bright start with a goal inside the first three minutes, before Lachie Neale put Fremantle on the board with a major four minutes later. Defence dominated the next 16 minutes in difficult conditions. Just two behinds were scored, both going to Fremantle, before Kade Kolodjashnij put Gold Coast in front with a goal at the 24-mnute mark. A behind to Hayden Crozier was the only other score of the term, the Suns going into the first break with a three-point lead.

The Dockers dominated the first 20 minutes of the second quarter, but poor kicking for goal saw them fail to take advantage of that dominance. Crozier and Jack Hannath found the big sticks, but Neale, Matthew Pavlich, Michael Walters and Hayden Ballantyne all registered misses and Fremantle led by only 13 points ad the term entered time on. A late goal to Raines saw the Suns back within a goal at the long break.

When the second half began, the feeling was the Fremantle would impose itself on the match but it was the Suns that struck first, and a goal to Touk Miller saw Gold Coast move to within a point of the Dockers at the three-minute mark. A brace of goals to Nat Fyfe at the four and six-minute mark restored a 14-point buffer to Fremantle but the Suns fought on, garnering the only other major of the quarter through Michael Rischitelli at the 20-minute mark, and the difference was only nine points at the last change. 

The all-important first goal of the final quarter went the Suns' way via Sean Lemons at the seven-minute mark, taking them to within two points of Fremantle. The Dockers attacked relentlessly after that but could not convert. They kicked five behinds over the next 20 minutes and still only by a goal at the 30-minute mark. A free kick to Nick Suban saw him put Fremantle 12 points clear at the 31-minute mark but the Suns mounted one final challenge with a goal to Tom Lynch bring them to within a goal with less than a minute remaining. But the Dockers held on, and a post-siren behind to Ballantyne saw them home by seven in a very tough contest. 

Fyfe was once again outstanding for the Dockers, with 31 possessions and two goals, while Aaron Sandilands had an amazing 70 hitouts to go with his 10 touches. For Gold Coast, Rischitelli (nine tackles, 23 disposals) and Kolodjashnij (25 possessions, seven marks) played fine games.

Both sides will have a bye in round 12, with top-placed Fremantle to host Collingwood at Subiaco on Thursday week and the Suns - who climbed back off the bottom of the ladder despite the loss - to play Carlton the following Sunday. Skipper Gary Ablett is tipped to be a good chance to return from his shoulder injury in that match. 

GOALS
Gold Coast: Raines 2; Lemmens, Lynch, Miller, Rischitelli, Kolodjashnij
Fremantle: Fyfe 2; Suban, Hannath, Crozier, Neale

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Rischitelli, Saad, Raines, Kolodjashnij, Boston, Harbrow
Fremantle: Fyfe, Mundy, C.Pearce, Sandilands, Sutcliffe, McPharlin, Spurr

BEST - BRISBANETIMES.COM.AU
Gold Coast Suns:Rischitelli, Saad, Kolodjashnij, McKenzie, Harbrow, Matera
Fremantle: Fyfe, Sandilands, McPharlin, Mundy, Neale, Sutcliffe

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Stanley (knee)
Fremantle: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Nick Malceski replaced Danny Stanley in the first quarter
Fremantle: Nick Suban replaced Matthew Taberner in the third quarter

UMPIRES: Fisher, Rosebury, O'Gorman

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Anthony Hudson, Jason Dunstall, Alastair Lynch, Barry Hall