Round one of seasons past has generally treated the Gold Coast SUNS well.

After missing round one of their maiden AFL campaign with a bye, the SUNS have won three of the five round one encounters they’ve played in since, and are three from four when they’ve played round one at Metricon Stadium.

In fact, the SUNS have won their last three round one encounters at Carrara dating back to 2013.

That year, Gold Coast trailed St Kilda by 19 points at half time but ran out 13-point winners on the back of a seven-goal final quarter. Gary Ablett was instrumental in the win, kicking three goals of his own in that last quarter (four total) to provide the spark the home side needed to get over the line.

The dual Brownlow Medallist put on another master class the following year to again lead the underdog SUNS to victory over Richmond. Ablett tallied 41 disposals and put the icing on the cake with the final goal of the game to seal the four points and another three Brownlow votes for the Little Master.

Last season, the SUNS started as favourites in round one against an undermanned Essendon side and got the job done. Leading by 29 points at quarter-time, Gold Coast ran out 61-point winners with Aaron Hall (36 disposals), Tom Lynch (four goals) and Ablett (34 disp) among the best.

Ablett has been a round one specialist in southeast Queensland, collecting 10 Brownlow votes in his four round one games at Metricon Stadium. The former skipper even polled three votes in 2012 in a 69-point loss to Adelaide after 42 disposals and two goals.

GC SUNS Round 1 History
2011 – Bye
2012 – GC SUNS 10.8 (68) lost to Adelaide 19.23 (137) at Metricon Stadium
2013 – GC SUNS 13.12 (90) defeated St Kilda 10.17 (77) at Metricon Stadium
2014 – GC SUNS 12.15 (87) defeated Richmond 10.9 (69) at Metricon Stadium
2015 – Melbourne 17.13 (115) defeated GC SUNS 13.11 (89) at MCG
2016 – GC SUNS 17.19 (121) defeated Essendon 9.6 (60) at Metricon Stadium

Gary Ablett in round one for the GC SUNS
2012 v Adelaide – 42 disposals, two goals, seven clearances, three Brownlow votes
2013 v St Kilda – 34 disposals, four goals, nine clearances, three Brownlow votes
2014 v Richmond – 41 disposals, two goals, three Brownlow votes
2015 v Melbourne – 19 disposals, five clearances
2016 v Essendon – 34 disposals, one goal, seven tackles, nine clearances, one Brownlow vote