The sweet taste of victory has been a long time coming for SUNS key forward Peter Wright.
After making his debut in round 10 last year, it has taken the 19-year-old a whopping 392 days and 12 senior games to experience his first win, coming in the form of Gold Coast’s 40-point win over St Kilda at Metricon Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Wright told BLK RAW straight after the game he loved finally being on the winning side, describing it as the ‘best feeling’.
“It took a while for me. I was getting a bit edgy I think, thought I might have been a bit of a jinx or something but to get the win, I was thrilled,” Wright told SUNS TV.
“To get the Gatorade shower, I’m a bit sticky now but I loved it, the best feeling.”
The SUNS burst out of the blocks against the Saints, kicking the opening five goals of the game to build a 35-point lead midway through the first quarter and while the visitors would challenge at times, Gold Coast led right throughout the day with the result of the game never in doubt.
“We did play as close to a four-quarter performance as we have in a long time,” Wright said.
“A really good start by the boys, it was a really good feeling before the game, really good energy in the rooms and to respond when they challenged us at the end of the first, start of the second was really pleasing.”
Wright finished the game with 14 disposals, a career-high 10 marks (four inside 50), three goals and three goal assists to put his hand up for a potential round 15 Rising Star nomination.
The Calder Cannons product combined with spearhead Tom Lynch to pluck 24 marks between them with Wright crediting increased synergy as a key factor behind the SUNS forward line stretching the Saints defence.
“Along with Sam as well, the three of us are starting to work really well together, a bit of synergy,” he said.
“I think the key for us is just keep that isolation, keep those one-on-ones because any of us in a one-on-one the team backs us going forward. Synergy’s definitely improving and just keep going as we get more minutes together.”
With one victory under the belt, ‘two-metre Peter’ is keen to back it up in next week’s QClash with the Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium.
“One win (for me) is good to break the duck but now we need to back it up next week and still stinging from the round four loss so a bit of pride on the line and we need to get the job done,” he said.