Gold Coast Suns defeat Carlton by 54 points at Metricon Stadium in Round 3
DEADLY duo Tom Lynch and Jack Martin steered the undefeated Suns to a comfortable 54 point victory over Carlton at Metricon Stadium.
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DEADLY duo Tom Lynch and Jack Martin steered the undefeated Suns to a comfortable 54-point victory over Carlton at Metricon Stadium.
While the undefeated Suns will take a red-hot forward line into next weekend’s QClash they might have a patched-up defence after Rory Thompson and Trent McKenzie were injured in the 13.17 (95) to 5.11 (41) win in front of 13,885 fans.
Lynch booted 4.3 goals and sits alone on top of the Coleman Medal ladder with 13 for the season while Martin added three and gave off several others.
They each took 10 marks as the Suns dragged down a staggering 23 marks inside their forward 50m to only five by the Blues.
Suns officials suspect the Lions took an overly cautious approach in leaving skipper Tom Rockliff and midfielder Daniel Rich out of Sunday’s clash with Geelong in order to be at peak condition for the derby.
Both Thompson (ankle) and McKenzie (nose) must be considered in doubt after neither was able to finish the game.
Aaron Hall had the first 40-possession game of his career while midfield superstar Gary Ablett took another stride towards his best footy with 35 touches and a game-high nine clearances.
The Suns lost McKenzie midway through the first quarter to what appeared to be friendly fire.
He was in a marking contest with Charlie Curnow when Steven May and Blues’ forward Levi Casboult, with a combined weight of 200kg, came flying in from the opposite direction scattering bodies like 10 pins.
McKenzie needed to be assisted form the field with a broken nose and was unable to return because of difficulties breathing.
Thompson limped off in the third quarter with an ankle injury.
“With Trent it is a compound fracture inside so that can be serious, so we will have to wait and see when he meets the surgeon but he will certainly miss a few weeks,’’ Suns coach Rodney Eade said.
“Rory got an ankle sprain which he thought was high in his leg, but he is not feeling it at the moment.’’
For the second week in a row the Suns lost a certain goal to a free kick against the runner.
Lynch was 30m in the clear and heading towards goal when he was called back for a runner infringement in the middle of the ground from the previous passage of play.
Where Fremantle were unable to punish the Suns last week, Zach Tuohy made no mistake last night.
It reduced what should have been an 18-point lead to just a goal. But that was to be the closest the Blues got.
At halftime the margin was out to 14 points. The Blues’ competitiveness in the first half was based on their pressure and the relative evenness of the contested possession and clearance count.
But in the second half the Suns got off the leash. Their uncontested possession numbers rocketed as their runners got out into space.
The Blues had few winners. Powerful forward Levi Casboult looked dangerous in the air every time he had a one-on-one opportunity but they were scarce.
His knock has always been his kicking and again on Saturday night he missed a simple set shot from almost dead in front. He finished with 1.2.
GOLD COAST SUNS 13.17 (95)
def
CARLTON 5.11 (41)
GOALS
Gold Coast Suns: Lynch 4, Martin 3, Hall Malceski Cameron Sexton Matera Day
Carlton: Cripps Wright Tuohy C Curnow Casboult
BEST
Gold Coast Suns: Lynch Kolodjashnij Martin Hall Ablett
Carlton: Weitering E Curnow Gibbs Kreuzer Cripps
VOTES
1. Jacob Weitering, Carlton
2. Kade Kolodjashnij, Gold Coast Suns
3. Tom Lynch, Gold Coast Suns
FIVE THINGS WE LEARNED
THE Suns have to sort out the situation with their runners. For the second week in a row they gave away a free kick because the runner infringed on the opposition. It hasn’t cost them a game yet but those sorts of mistakes shouldn’t happen once let alone on consecutive weeks.
THEY may be 3-0 but they are far from playing their best footy. That is probably what gives Rodney Eade such optimism. The defence played well last night but they weren’t that clean or decisive with the ball. Their ball movement inside 50m is not yet in the class of the best sides in the competition.
BRISBANE are happy with Josh Schache but the Blues must be thinking they made the right choice selecting Jacob Weitering. The No. 1 draft pick was composed in defence and already looked like a seasoned campaigner.
GOLD Coast took another step. They have lost matches like last night before and were a nervous footy club during the week approaching what several officials were calling a danger game. The reality is the Suns were expected to win comfortably and that’s what they did. Taking care of business is what genuine finals aspirants do.
PATRICK Cripps is in just his second season of footy but oppositions now rate him as the Blues most dangerous midfielder. He has been tagged every week this season and last night Rodney Eade assigned defensive midfielder Jesse Lonergan the match-up. Lonergan won but Blues coach Brendon Bolton would be pleased with how Cripps fought to the end and worked his way back after a slow start.
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