Gold Coast scratched the floor earlier than Joe Daniher and Lachie Neale helped Brisbane slam the door shut on their Queensland AFL rivals with a ninth-straight derby win.
The Lions had been pushed by a Suns workforce that is unearthed one other layer of expertise, turning a final-quarter dogfight into a cushty 16.11 (107) to 9.10 (64) Gabba victory.
It was the Lions’ (8-2) seventh straight this season however did not come straightforward, with rookie Suns expertise Bailey Humphrey’s efforts (26 disposals, seven inside 50s) an enormous constructive for a aspect working with out injured captain Touk Miller.
It was Humphrey’s left-foot snap that made it a five-point sport early within the fourth quarter on Saturday.
But that was the second issues turned, as Lachie Neale, the Marcus Ashcroft Medal winner for greatest on floor with 35 disposals and 10 clearances, claimed an important stoppage that led to a 50-metre Eric Hipwood bomb.
The hosts kicked the final six targets of the sport, Daniher booting 4 throughout the evening per week after his six-goal haul in opposition to Essendon.
Josh Dunkley’s battle with Matt Rowell was fierce whereas Hugh McCluggage (30 touches) discovered his groove because the Lions received a fortieth regular-season sport from their final 43 Gabba appearances.
“I did love that last quarter when they got within five points, we just steadied and our leaders stood up,” coach Chris Fagan mentioned.
“That was a tough contest … O (ruckman Oscar McInerney) really turned it around and our ground-level players really got to work.”
The Suns made all of the early operating, Jarrod Witts dominating the centre and Charlie Ballard persevering with his sturdy marking type.
But they could not covert their dominance, the Lions going to the break with a nine-point lead.
The hosts pulled additional away however the Suns acquired again inside 5 factors when Jack Lukosius toe-poked by means of his second objective within the third time period.
Harry Sharp completed properly and Charlie Cameron celebrated his second objective with an Indigenous Round dance to once more shoot the hosts clear.
Jarrod Berry’s objective made it a 23-point margin however King and Nick Holman replied, Ben Ainsworth lacking his set shot after the siren to make it an 11-point deficit on the remaining break.
Humphrey’s snap had the Suns believing early within the fourth however the Lions rapidly snuffed that out.
“We were scratching, fighting for everything we could get,” Suns coach Stuart Dew mentioned.
“We couldn’t get it on our terms but they kept going and when the game was there to be won we didn’t absorb enough heat and brought some pressure on ourselves.”
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
