Sean Lemmens pays tribute to niece who died of cancer during Gold Coast Suns loss to Adelaide

It was a powerful personal moment lost amid a nightmare night for the besieged Gold Coast Suns. In the final minutes of the first quarter Sean Lemmens kicked a goal and pointed straight to the sky, paying tribute to the beloved niece Roberta who died weeks earlier of cancer.

IT was a powerful personal moment lost amid a nightmare night for the besieged Gold Coast Suns.

In the final minutes of the first quarter Sean Lemmens kicked a goal and pointed straight to the sky, paying tribute to the beloved niece Roberta who died weeks earlier of cancer.

She was 16.

It put footy and life in perspective for the Suns forward who made his return from ankle surgery on Saturday in Gold Coast’s 23.13 (151) to 8.8 (56) loss to Adelaide at Metricon Stadium in his second comeback from the injury.

“I was paying tribute to my niece. She passed away a few weeks ago now,” Lemmens said.

“She looked up to all her uncles who played in the AFL so it was nice to pay tribute to her.

“Everyone is really close in my family, that is just the way it is.”

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Those uncles include Lemmens’ relatives including Essendon’s Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti, Brisbane’s Allen Christensen and the Rioli family.

Lemmens said his niece hailed from the Tiwi Islands in the Northern Territory and he was thankful to have the opportunity to visit her in hospital when he played for the Suns NEAFL team in Darwin in early May.

“She was only battling for about four months and it just went down hill really fast,” Lemmens said.

Sean Lemmens of the Suns celebrates a goal during the round 17 AFL match between the Gold Coast Suns and the Adelaide Crows at Metricon Stadium on July 13, 2019 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

“It was an aggressive form of cancer.

“I think she took a bit out of seeing me when I was there. It was good to get around to see her.”

Lemmens was glad to get through all four quarters in his first game back from injury but lamented the performance of a group who have now lost 12 game straight.

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The 24-year-old echoed coach Stuart Dew’s comments by saying the players had lost confidence and put the responsibility squarely on the group to turn their performances around.

“The last two weeks, we know that wasn’t acceptable,” Lemmens said.

“We had pressure but no method about it. We were not getting our head in a hole and getting the contested style that we prided ourselves on early in the year.

“I’d say most of (the responsibility is on the players).

“The message the coaching staff give us is a simple, clear message. That is effort based football and a contested brand we play and it’s up to us to bring it.”

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