The Gold Coast Suns have lost by 20 points to Geelong in Mackay
The Gold Coast Suns have shot their AFLW finals chances in the foot while Geelong have kept their window alive after storming home to defeat the Suns by 20 points in Mackay on Friday night.
THE Gold Coast Suns AFLW finals chances hang in the balance while Geelong have kept their window alive after storming home to defeat the Suns by 20 points in Mackay on Friday night.
Playing the first AFLW game in Queensland’s top end, it wasn’t a happy homecoming for the Suns in their academy breeding ground as the Cats out-muscled and outplayed the home team in front of a 2788 strong crowd at Great Barrier Reef arena.
Scoring only two points in the second half, the Suns ran out of legs late and afforded the Cats four unanswered goals after the long break as the blue and white hoops made it two wins in a row.
The 5.8 (38) to 2.6 (18) loss leaves the Sun precariously placed sixth on the Conference A AFLW ladder with matches against West Coast, Adelaide and Melbourne to come in the run home.
Slipping and sliding around in 70% humidity, it was Geelong who did all of the attacking in the first quarter.
Key forward Phoebe Williams eventually broke the deadlock with the first goal of the game early in the first quarter after out marking defender Jade Pregelj.
Midfielder Jacqui Yorston snuck forward and levelled the scores at nine apiece six minutes into the second quarter.
Emerging from a pack, she kicked towards goal and signalled game on as the intensity immediately lifted.
Fellow onballer Jamie Stanton was next to make her way onto the scoresheet after being stationed inside 50 for large parts of the first half.
A lunging Stanton marked a Kalinda Howarth inbound kick and immediately sprung to her feet as unsuspecting defenders remained on their haunches.
Smelling blood, the Suns continued to attack but a costly miss from Kate Surman late meant the Suns maintained a six-point lead at the half.
It was the Cats who forged ahead in the third quarter as their superior running power and spread from the contest resulted in goals to Phoebe McWilliams and Georgia Clarke.
The Suns will also be made to rue a late brain fade as cult hero Rocky Cranston rolled through the Cats’ fourth after the three quarter time siren sounded.
Former elite basketballer Anna Teague kicked the last major of the game to give the Cats a game high lead of 19 points as the Suns ran out of speed and dare.
Kalinda Howarth continued her sensational form early, finishing with 18 disposals while Prejelj was strong down back.
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