AFL round 17: Jack Gunston kicks six as Brisbane beat West Coast by 81 points

Jack Gunston paid tribute to his late father Ray after his standout performance against the Eagles, reminding the football world that he could still be a big factor in the Lions’ premiership chase.

Callum Dick and Marco Monteverde

3 min read

July 8, 2023 - 6:34PM

News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – JULY 08: Eric Hipwood of the Lions celebrates kicking a goal during the round 17 AFL match between Brisbane Lions and West Coast Eagles at The Gabba, on July 08, 2023, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)

If the footy gods are also the game’s script writers, they got it absolutely right on Saturday afternoon at the Gabba.

Almost one year to the day of his father Ray’s sudden passing, Brisbane forward Jack Gunston produced perhaps the best performance of his 236-game AFL career to help sink West Coast by 81 points and cement the Lions’ place in the top four.

“We had a pretty tough day on Wednesday (the one year anniversary) and it was a bit of, this week (I’ll) go out and play for him again and it was nice to get on the end of a few,” Gunston said after just the fourth six-goal haul of his career.

“He’s always in my thoughts and it was a tough week for the family, but (we) always have some great support around us.

“When you’re at home it’s always on your mind and then you get to footy and you know you’re there for work and the guys make you laugh.

“These guys, they obviously weren’t with me last year but they were all aware of the week for me and (I’m) very grateful for their support, always.”

Gunston kicked six goals in his return. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Recalled to the senior side after his much talked about three-game AFL exile, Gunston covered the ground with a freedom reminiscent of his early Hawthorn days, when he played a key role in the Hawks’ premiership three-peat.

The 31-year-old booted an equal career-best six goals from 20 disposals alongside a game-high 15 score involvements – vindicating both the decision to drop him for an extended fitness block and his subsequent recall.

It was his first bag of six since round 10, 2019.

Much was made of the decision to drop he and fellow veteran Daniel Rich from the AFL side after coach Chris Fagan declared the pair would undergo a training block to recapture their fitness.

It certainly appeared to help the former Hawk on Saturday as he found the footy in all areas of the ground.

He and Rich were “stuck at the hip” over the past three weeks, racking up long distance running, bike, pool and gym sessions.

But Gunston said it was as much to do with taking a step back and watching his teammates get to work as it was pounding the pavement.

“I didn’t just get fit, I watched a lot of vision,” he said.

“I’ve come to a new club after playing in a different system for 13 years. It probably just started wearing on me a bit mentally of not getting the ball and the patterns that I was running (not working).

“It was great to just sit up in the stats box for two of those games and just watch the patterns and watch how the players play.”

Having seemingly unlocked his full playing potential after the much-needed time out, he said the next challenge would be finding a program to keep him fresh through the week after matches.

Gunston and Lions coach Chris Fagan. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Goals aside, if Gunston can play a similar up-and-back role for the remainder of the season he feels it can add a different dynamic to an already potent Brisbane attack which ranks first in the AFL.

“Obviously we have some strong targets deep and some crumbing forwards who are really lively so if I can be a link-up guy up there and use my engine to get back to goal it could be another dimension,” he said.

“That’s probably what I did early on in my footy career, I got up to the wings and half back and got involved and as the years have gone on I’ve probably gone deeper (towards goal).

“It was great to have the confidence in my body after a few weeks off … and it was a good way to get involved, because sometimes up forward you can be starved of opportunities, especially when you’ve got so many stars running around the forward line.”

Fagan also wore a black arm band in honour of Gunston’s father and praised the forward’s impressive performance against the Eagles.

“It would have been an emotional occasion for him because Jack and his dad I know are very close, so he’ll get some enjoyment out of doing that today,” Fagan said.

“I think you saw today a bit more of what Jack’s capable of. He’s got to keep doing it – and there’s sterner tests ahead – but I think you’ll agree he moved a lot better than he was before the month off.

“I think today he feels like the old athletic Jack is back. We won’t shout it from the rooftops or get too excited by it, but it’s a good step in the right direction.

LIONS 7.3 (45) 10.8 (68) 13.14 (92) 16.20 (116)

EAGLES 2.0 (12) 2.2 (14) 3.3 (21) 5.5 (35)

GOALS

Lions: Gunston 6, McCluggage 2, Hipwood 2, Fletcher, Rayner, Wilmot, Starcevich, Bailey, McInerney

Eagles: Darling, Hunt, Allen, Williams, Kelly

MARCO MONTEVERDE’S BEST:

Lions: Neale, Ashcroft, Gunston, Lyons, Andrews

Eagles: Duggan, Kelly, Hunt, McGovern

MARCO MONTEVERDE’S 3-2-1:

3. Lachie Neale (Lions)