GOLD COAST 13.12 (90) def MELBOURNE 10.17 (77)
THE Gold Coast Suns have got the better of a determined Melbourne at Metricon Stadium, to reward skipper Gary Ablett a worthy 250th milestone win.
The Demons continued to challenge throughout the night, even taking the lead in the third quarter, before the Suns finished with a 13-point victory.
Injury hit the home side hard, as Nathan Bock (leg), Alex Sexton (dislocated shoulder) and Sam Day (hamstring) limited them to just one fit player on the interchange.
The Dees didn’t escape drama in the medical room either, with youngster James Strauss suffering a broken nose but returned to the field.
Despite a quiet match from 250-gamer Ablett (19 disposals, 1 goal), the skipper was well supported from the likes of Harley Bennell (28 disposals), David Swallow (28) and Dion Prestia (23).
The home side struggled to shake off the persistent Demons in the first half, yet came out after half time to get the win in front of their home crowd.
For the Demons, midfielders Nathan Jones (29) and and Jack Viney (24) were prolific, while key tall Jack Watts (21 disposals, 2 goals) and debutant Dean Kent (2 goals) impressed in the honourable loss.
But it was Ablett’s season low 19 disposals, and the manner in which the Demons held him in check, that dominated the post game discussions.
After being asked by the media about how he felt Ablett was grabbed and bumped throughout the game Gold Coast Suns coach Guy McKenna turned to the club’s media officer and said: “How much money have you got?”
“I’m in constant conversation with Jeff Gieschen and have been for probably the last six-to-eight weeks,” said McKenna as he revealed his frustration about the attention Ablett was getting.
“It’s a work in progress.”
Melbourne coach Neil Craig meanwhile defended his players saying that it was all within the rules of the game.
“As long as they play within the rules. Umpires are there to adjudicate the rules,” said Craig.
“We all know where Gary stands in the competition, and the history of the competition for that fact.
“Jordie McKenzie is a very determined, disciplined young man. I thought his teammates as well, maybe for the first time since I’ve been at the footy club, have joined in to help there.”
No doubt we will be reading more about this over the coming week.
Here are the highlights from last night’s game:
GOLD COAST 2.4 5.9 10.11 13.12 (90)
MELBOURNE 3.2 5.6 8.11 10.17 (77)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Brown 3, Sumner 2, Ablett, Hall, Dixon, Swallow, Thompson, Bennell, Day, Stanley
Melbourne: Watts 2, Kent 2, Sylvia, Byrnes, Fitzpatrick, Tapscott, Davey, McKenzie
BEST
Gold Coast: Swallow, Prestia, Brown, Jaeger, Thompson
Melbourne: Viney, Sylvia, Nathan Jones, McKenzie, Garland
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Bock (leg), Sexton (shoulder), Day (hamstring)
Melbourne: None
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Timmy Sumner on for Nathan Bock (half-time)
Melbourne: Aaron Davey on for Daniel Nicholson (three-quarter time)
Reports: None
Umpires: McBurney, Fila and Foot
Crowd: 13,840