Dockers do enough against plucky SUNS
Courier Mail
Andrew Hamilton
The Rodney Eade era has finally begun at the SUNS.
The bye, so desperately needed for at least a month by the weary young SUNS asked to carry the load in the absence of a host of stars, could almost be the last thing Eade wants after watching his side push Fremantle right to the wire before succumbing to a gutsy seven point loss.
They have created momentum, in fact, they may be last on the ladder but have been far from the worst team in the competition over the past three weeks.
The pressure was superb, reminiscent of the firsts half against Hawthorn in Launceston two weeks ago when they went into the main break just two goals shy of the reigning premiers,
The Dockers still dominated possession but the SUNS were able to restrict the damage.
Dockers struggle to beat second-string SUNS
The Age
Andrew Stafford
Truly, there are no certainties in football. If you didn't see this game, and took a look at the scoreboard after the fact, you might have thought this was a reprise of those St Kilda teams that coach Ross Lyon took so close to dual premiership glory: defence-oriented, doing enough to keep the opposition at arm's length, dour, but ruthlessly effective.
Surely, though, not against a barely half-strength Gold Coast SUNS. On paper at least, this game against the ladder's top and bottom teams looked an even bigger mismatch than last week's thoroughly tedious affair between the SUNS and Swans. Instead the paltry crowd was almost treated to a football miracle.
The SUNS, chastened by ill-discipline, playing almost their second 22, just wouldn't go away. Wet, slippery conditions suited them. They tackled. They niggled. A good quarter turned into a good half, then a very creditable three quarters, even after Nat Fyfe, who was rarely given a breather, threatened to steal the game himself.
Gold Coast SUNS surprise Fremantle Dockers
Brisbane Times
Beth Newman
It was supposed to be the Nat Fyfe show.
Fremantle was supposed to be stitching an open wound after a shock home upset to Richmond and the SUNS were supposed to be limping into the bye with an injury list that would cripple most side and had almost done just that on the coast.
The SUNS were nursing Nick Malceski through, starting him as the sub, though they would have preferred to ease him through another week.
Eleven minutes in as Danny Stanley was subbed off with a knee injury, that dream was shattered.
In an opening half where the Suns surprised their visitors, runaway Brownlow Medal favourite Fyfe looked almost mortal on an arena where he generally looks ethereal.
