Suns scorch Bombers to climb into the top eight; Reid cops two-match ban, out of Rising Star contention

Sam Collins joins ‘most underrated’ debate

My colleague Marc McGowan weighed into the “most underrated” debate earlier in the day when he highlighted the performance of Fremantle’s Sam Switkowski. To this endless debate — which usually involves players from off-Broadway teams — we should add the Suns’ doughty full-back Sam Collins.

Best and fairest for the Suns in 2020, he’s a consistent performer in teams that have usually been under siege.

Against Essendon, he did an absolute number on Kyle Langford, one of the form forwards of the competition.

Ky;e Langford and Sam Collins.Credit: Getty

Langford is almost impossible to contain for a whole match, but Collins held him to just a handful of touches. He held together an improving Suns backline that also including sterling performances from Mac Andrew, who was superb with 25 disposals, and the courageous Bohdi Uwland.

A milestone win for the Suns

This was one of the games of the year so far, and it featured one of the best midfield battles.

For the Bombers, Zach Merrett continued his incredible year, lifting the Bombers when his team looked like they were in danger of eclipse.

For the Suns, it was Matt Rowell, Touk Miller and Noah Anderson, repeatedly bursting from the front of stoppages, and more often than not in reply to the Bombers as they continued to surge.

It was the sign of a maturing team. The Suns still can’t win away, and until they start doing so, they won’t be taken seriously as contenders.

But this win was a milestone, against a rising team that kept coming at them all game, in front of a capacity crowd that has rarely been louder. They’re now in the eight. And every other club will start to fear the trip to People’s First Stadium.

Ben Long gives Suns forward line some bite
Ben Long has never been much more than a depth player for the Suns since crossing from St Kilda at the end of 2022.

Ben Long of the SunsCredit: Getty

But, after being deployed mostly as a small defender until now, he’s spent the last month as a small forward — and has rewarded his team with 10 goals in four weeks.

His four goals against the Bombers came in his 100th game. It was a well-rounded performance that also included two direct assists and 13 disposals, and despite not registering a tackle, he chased and pressured hard throughout.

The Suns have lacked bite around the contest since Izak Rankine’s defection to Adelaide, but Long was critical to them getting over the line here.

Sam Collins joins ‘most underrated’ debate

My colleague Marc McGowan weighed into the “most underrated” debate earlier in the day when he highlighted the performance of Fremantle’s Sam Switkowski. To this endless debate — which usually involves players from off-Broadway teams — we should add the Suns’ doughty full-back Sam Collins.

Best and fairest for the Suns in 2020, he’s a consistent performer in teams that have usually been under siege.

Against Essendon, he did an absolute number on Kyle Langford, one of the form forwards of the competition.

Ky;e Langford and Sam Collins.Credit: Getty

Langford is almost impossible to contain for a whole match, but Collins held him to just a handful of touches. He held together an improving Suns backline that also including sterling performances from Mac Andrew, who was superb with 25 disposals, and the courageous Bohdi Uwland.

A milestone win for the Suns

This was one of the games of the year so far, and it featured one of the best midfield battles.

For the Bombers, Zach Merrett continued his incredible year, lifting the Bombers when his team looked like they were in danger of eclipse.

For the Suns, it was Matt Rowell, Touk Miller and Noah Anderson, repeatedly bursting from the front of stoppages, and more often than not in reply to the Bombers as they continued to surge.

It was the sign of a maturing team. The Suns still can’t win away, and until they start doing so, they won’t be taken seriously as contenders.

But this win was a milestone, against a rising team that kept coming at them all game, in front of a capacity crowd that has rarely been louder. They’re now in the eight. And every other club will start to fear the trip to People’s First Stadium.

Ben Long gives Suns forward line some bite
Ben Long has never been much more than a depth player for the Suns since crossing from St Kilda at the end of 2022.

Ben Long of the SunsCredit: Getty

But, after being deployed mostly as a small defender until now, he’s spent the last month as a small forward — and has rewarded his team with 10 goals in four weeks.

His four goals against the Bombers came in his 100th game. It was a well-rounded performance that also included two direct assists and 13 disposals, and despite not registering a tackle, he chased and pressured hard throughout.

The Suns have lacked bite around the contest since Izak Rankine’s defection to Adelaide, but Long was critical to them getting over the line here.

Rising Star favourite Harley Reid has been handed a two-match ban, which would leave him ineligible for the award as the AFL’s best and fairest young player.

Reid’s dangerous “sling” tackle on St Kilda’s Darcy Wilson on Saturday was ruled worthy of a rough conduct charge, which was graded as careless conduct, high impact and high contact – leading to the two-game suspension with no early plea.

It remains to be seen if West Coast challenge the suspension.
Reid also received two fines totalling $3750 (with early pleas) for making careless contact with an umpire for incidents in the second and final quarters.

If his ban is accepted, Reid won’t be available to play for the Eagles until their home clash with Hawthorn on June 30 as their mid-season bye is scheduled for Round 14.

Harley Reid tackles Darcy Wilson.Credit: Fox Footy

Western Bulldogs forward Sam Darcy was also handed a two-match suspension for his late bump on Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard on Friday night and if his ban is accepted, it will leave the Rising Star award wide open as they were the two clear favourites for many commentators.

A player needs to be under 21 as of January 1 2024 and have played fewer than 10 senior games from the start of the season to be eligible for a Rising Star nomination.

On first glance, North Melbourne’s Colby McKercher, St Kilda’s Wilson, North Melbourne’s George Wardlaw and Melbourne’s Caleb Windsor would sit among the top contenders left as they have already won weekly nominations and are performing strongly for their teams.

Brisbane’s Kai Lohmann, Sydney’s Matt Roberts, Geelong’s Oliver Dempsey, the Western Bulldogs’ Harvey Gallagher, Gold Coast’s Jake Rogers and Collingwood’s Harvey Harrison are the other nominees so far in 2024.

That’s a huge victory for the Suns. The hard-fought 11-point victory of over the Bombers up in the Gold Coast sees them climb into the top eight.

It was a tense final term but Gold Coast held their nerve and kept attacking as Essendon threw everything at them in the end. Are they a finals contender? They’re making a pretty good case for it.

Gold Coast defeat Essendon 14.7 (91) to 11.14 (80)

Thomas Berry of the Suns celebrates a goal.Credit: Getty

Offt. In a game of margins, that was critical.

Essendon’s Jayden Laverde handed the ball back to the wrong person after a free was called, which gifted Touk Miller with a 50m penalty. He was marched to the big sticks, to put the Suns up by 11.

Gold Coast by 11

Matt Guelfi has drawn the margin down to less than a goal with just over two minutes remaining in the game.

Guelfi took the grab near the boundary and had a great finish to get the crowd on their feet. Big Bombers supporter base in the Gold Coast it turns out.

Gold Coast by 5

Well, this is getting interesting (or staying interesting, rather).

Bombers are keeping in this with Nik Cox booting his third goal of the afternoon and closing the margin to less than two goals.

Cox has been huge for the Bombers tonight, who before tonight, have only kicked multiple goals in a game once.

Jake Stringer then had a set shot, but it hung well to the left.

Gold Coast by 10

Sam Durham of the Bombers.Credit: Getty

It was only seven minutes ago the game was all tied up but now Suns took deep in control after kicking the last three goals of the game.

The last of those through Thomas Berry.

There’s still a world for anything to happen this game but Essendon have been put on the ropes but just eight minutes to go.

Gold Coast by 17

Suns fans would have liked watching that.

Jack Lukosius was waiting unopposed in the goal square where he received the ball off Ben Long, and booted it through. Close your eyes, Essendon fans.

Gold Coast by 11

Ben Long of the Suns.Credit: Getty

But the action’s happening faster than I can type or even hit send, with Jye Menzie tying it up again, before Ben King puts the Suns back in front.

Another goal to Ben Long, and another clearance to Matt Rowell, who has had a knack of responding when the Suns have needed him most tonight.

It’s a ripper contest between two rising teams, and still could go either way.

Gold Coast by 6