Australian Football

Match Report

Less than a day after Fremantle caused the biggest upset of the season, defeating the reigning premiers the Western Bulldogs, the Gold Coast Suns caused arguably an ever bigger one in defeating Hawthorn at Carrara on Sunday. The result itself was perhaps not enough to qualify it as the upset of the year but the margin certainly was - the Suns thrashed the once-invincible Hawks by 86 points, having been themselves trounced by over 100 points a week earlier. The loss leaves Hawthorn on the bottom of the ladder for the first time since the opening round of 2007. 

Gold Coast got off to a perfect start with a lovely roving snap from Jack Martin after just one minute. When Gary Ablett kicked another just two minutes later, and Martin kicked his second at the six-minute mark, it was clear that the Suns had 'come to play'. The Hawks finally got on the board with a point to Jack Gunston at the nine-minute mark, and then got back into the game with majors to Paul Puopolo and Cyril Rioli. At quarter time it was the Suns by an even goal. 

The Suns started strongly again in the second term, with a goal inside 20 seconds to Aaron Hall but a major to Jaeger O'Meara five minutes later had the Hawks within four points. But the Suns were unstoppable, with consecutive goals to Touk Miller, Hall and Martin giving the Suns a 22-point lead midway through the term. The sides traded only behinds after that, and the long break saw Gold Coast ahead by 26 points. 

Many expected the Hawks to come out after half time and make a statement and when captain Jarryd Roughead goaled within a minute of play restarting in the third term, it looked like they would. Sadly for Hawthorn, though, the statement ended there as the Suns went on the rampage, kicking seven goals over the next 25 minutes, including two to Brandon Matera and two to Brayden Fiorini. The Hawks did fight back to kick two goals in the last eight minutes of the quarter but the Suns added three of there own in that period, including a third to Matera, to make it an amazing 10-goal term, and they turned four home an unbelievable 11 goals ahead. 

Roughead again tried to lift his side at the beginning of the final term, kicking the first goal of the quarter once more but the next 12 minutes became the Brandon Matera show, as the Suns forward kicked his fourth, fifth and sixth goals as the margin blew out to 79 points. The Hawks face nothing in response and Touk Miller second goal at the 21-minute mark was the last of the match, Gold Coast running out winners by 86 points. 

With the year suddenly looking a light brighter for the Suns, they will go into their game against Carlton on Saturday night with a fair bit of confidence. The 0-3 Hawks on the other hand, will surely find it much harder to muster any confidence when they take on the 3-0 Cats in their traditional Easter Monday clash next weekend. 

GOALS
Gold Coast: Matera 6; Martin 3; Hall, Fiorini, Lynch, Miller, Ablett 2; Harbrow, Lemmens
Hawthorn: Roughead 3, Puopolo, Rioli, O'Meara, Burton

BEST - AFL.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Swallow, Martin, Ablett, Witts, Harbrow, Matera
Hawthorn: Henderson, Hodge, Mitchell, Shiels

BEST - BRISBANETIMES.COM.AU
Gold Coast: Ablett, Swallow, Hall, Witts, Harbrow, Miller, Matera
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Henderson

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Hawthorn: Puopolo (hamstring)

REPORTS: Lyons (Gold Coast) reported in the first quarter for striking Shiels (Hawthorn).

UMPIRES: McInerney, Findlay, Foot 

TELEVISION BROADCAST: Fox Footy

COMMENTATORS: Dwayne Russell, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch, Ben Dixon