Gold Coast puts dent in Sydney’s top four hopes after shock upset at the SCG
GOLD Coast has produced the upset of the year against Sydney, and instead of cementing a top-four spot, the Swans’ fifth loss at home this season has put them in a dogfight to make the finals.
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GOLD Coast has produced the upset of the year after downing Sydney by 24 points at the SCG.
The Suns had never beaten Sydney in their previous eight attempts and had lost their last 11 outings this year.
Their most recent win was back in Round 5 against the Brisbane Lions.
GAME RECAP: HOW SWANS, SUNS THRILLER PLAYED OUT
GAME STATS: WHO STOOD UP FOR SUNS, SWANS?
Former Swans assistant Stuart Dew was the architect of his old club’s demise as his team came from 29 points down at quarter-time to kick 10 goals to two after quarter-time.
The loss was Sydney’s fifth at the SCG this year and leaves them with a 4-5 record at the ground which used to be a fortress.
John Longmire said complacency was to blame.
“It’s hard to deny. You’d like to think not but if you look at the evidence it suggests that,” Longmire said.
“This game has an amazing ability to punch you on the nose when you think you’re on the top of your game. We copped a whack.”
The Swans went into the match looking to cement their top-four spot but finished the day back in a dogfight for a finals berth.
The win was history making for the under-siege Suns, who can now look at the remainder of the season with renewed optimism.
“It goes beyond the two hours today,” Suns coach Stuart Dew said.
“To fight back and win against a team that’s going to finish top four and play finals makes me really proud of the result for our footy club and the supporters who have stuck with us.”
Lachie Weller, Will Brodie, Touk Miller and Alex Sexton were key players in the Suns’ stunning result.
Sexton kicked three goals and Aaron Young four, including a critical one in the last quarter.
Captain Steven May was enormous in defence with 14 marks and 23 possessions.
“Maysie led from the front,” Dew said.
“He took some really good contested one on one marks and also made some clearing spoils. We’ve been in some close games and got some things wrong but in the last quarter we could see them organising and Maysie led really well as our skipper tonight.”
May said the win would lift the club’s spirits after a challenging few months.
“I just can’t believe it, to be honest,” May said.
“The way we’ve been going this year, it’s been very challenging but a win against the Swans, I’ve never been in before, It’s unreal.
“Like I said during the week, I really want to win, not for me but for these young boys,” May said.
“They’re putting in so much work during the week and it’s hard for them to believe when there’s no results.
“I know this is going to be huge. We talk about the Brisbane Lions and how good they look at the moment because they’ve got a couple in a row.
“This isn’t three in a row but we’ll take this. This is much deserved.”
Lance Franklin was held by Rory Thompson, who kept the star forward goalless for the first time this season.
Buddy played up the ground early and found his fair share of the footy and the Suns defender touched the ball just three times for the day, but his defensive effort was pivotal.
After being belted in the first quarter, Dew made adjustments and closed off the corridor for the Swans attacks.
Sydney persisted with its tactics and paid the price, regularly turning the ball over and gifting the Suns a host of scoring opportunities as they kicked the first five goals of the second term to close the gap to six points.
In the space of a quarter, Zak Jones went from best-on-ground to coughing up possession and giving away silly free kicks.
Sydney was kept goalless for two quarters before Tom Papley and Luke Parker sparked a mini revival early in the last term to close the gap to eight points, before Young, Weller and Nick Holman slammed the door shut.
The Swans two-ruckmen experiment failed with debutant Darcy Cameron having no effect on the game, picking up just three touches and winning just nine hitouts.
Jarrod Witts took the ruck honours comprehensively with 56 hitouts to Cameron and Sinclair’s combined 33.
After producing one of the victories of the year last week against North Melbourne, it was hard to believe it was the same Swans team.
“There are learning opportunities always,” Longmire said.
“Sometimes you learn off the great wins and sometimes you learn off some really bad losses. It’ll probably be the only thing we get out of this.”
SYDNEY 6.4 6.7 6.10 8.16 (64)
GOLD COAST 1.5 7.7 9.12 12.16 (88)
GOALS
Swans: Papley 3, Parker 2, Jones, Florent, Hayward
Suns: Young 4, Sexton 3, Weller 2, Miller, Heron, Holman
BEST
Swans: Kennedy, Aliir, Parker, Papley, O’Riordan
Suns: Weller, May, Young, Sexton, Brodie, Witts, Weller, Holman
INJURIES
Swans: TBA
Suns: TBA
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Fisher, Meredith, Mollison
Official attendance: 32,565 at the SCG
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Originally published as Gold Coast puts dent in Sydney’s top four hopes after shock upset at the SCG
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