Slow-starting Suns slice up Swans for 5-1 season start
Murray Wenzel |
A Bailey Humphrey breakout performance has punctuated Gold Coast’s comeback defeat of a battling Sydney and set up a mouth-watering QClash with defending AFL premiers Brisbane.
The Suns’ 17.15 (117) to 12.7 (79) win at Carrara on Sunday followed a shock loss to Richmond and improved them to a club-best 5-1 ahead of next week’s Queensland derby against the high-flying Lions (6-1).
Two goals before halftime to Jed Walter started the rot, and the Suns kicked 12 consecutive majors as the Swans (2-5) wilted, managing just one behind between the midway points of the second and fourth quarters.
Ben King (five goals) regained top spot on the Coleman Medal leaderboard, Jarrod Witts led the way in the ruck, while Bailey Humphrey (18 disposals, four goals) stood tall as the Suns came from 29 points behind in the second quarter.
“He took an incredible step forward and we can see the player we think he will become,” coach Damien Hardwick said of 20-year-old Humphrey, who he has previously compared to Dustin Martin.
“We’re very blessed and very lucky to have him but I thought all our young forwards did a terrific job today.
“That (win) is a massive achievement. They are a club that we are aiming to become. I think today was a bit of a step forward towards that.”
Well off the pace in a tardy opening term, the Suns lost the first eight centre clearances, fumbled and missed kicks to leave Hardwick scratching his head.
Sydney’s Chad Warner (24 touches, two goals), fresh off a high-profile contract extension, was able to run into a vacant forward-50 and dribble through a goal after four free kicks in as many minutes led to three quickfire majors.
Warner’s second was a brilliant, curling left-foot effort while James Jordan hunted down Matt Rowell, who along with Noah Anderson was well held until the second half.
That energy disappeared though, with Witts leading Gold Coast’s reply as the ruckman worked back to break Swans forays and distribute calmly in traffic.
Walter (three majors) profited with two goals from free kicks to keep the Suns within three majors at halftime, as the Swans’ wheels fell off in front of 18,034 fans.
King, Walter and Humphrey all filled their boots before Rowell, who had a combined single clearance with Anderson at halftime, killed the contest with a goal and assist to begin the fourth.
Suns halfback John Noble topped the disposal count with 30 touches as the Suns improved their poor record against last year’s beaten grand finalists to 4-13.
“If you can’t win it (the contest), you halve it or do whatever you can to scrap and make it as hard as possible for the opposition,” frustrated coach Dean Cox said.
“And we didn’t do that enough, so when they got ascendancy, they got ascendancy.
“We need to fight for longer.”
AAP
