The Gold Coast SUNS will face off against Coast rivals Southport Sharks in what shapes as a mouth-watering VFL preliminary final at 1:10pm on Sunday afternoon at Fankhauser Reserve.
The SUNS sparked its thrilling finals run with a series of heart-stopping wins but has now built confidence and momentum with eight straight victories, including one over the Sharks just last month – and the SUNS will take plenty of confidence into their first preliminary final at any level with an imposing win-loss record against their next-door neighbours.
It’s a little bit surprising to see the SUNS hold a 13-3 head-to-head advantage over Southport in the Coast Clash, including nine of the past 10, and that will give them plenty of confidence.
Not that they need it after winning an epic contest four weeks ago among their eight straight victories to get within one win of a maiden Grand Final at any level.
The Sharks, meanwhile, have flown the flag for the standalone clubs by backing up their marvellous 2021 season with another great effort.
They found their first hiccup with those three losses in Rounds 18, 20 and 21 but have been utterly dominant in their past two games to re-establish themselves as the second seed – and they could regain Fraser Thurlow and Billy Gowers from injury as well.
The SUNS hit the contest as the form team of the competition and will be doing everything possible to continue the club’s fairytale run.
It will be unmissable TV on Sunday afternoon, broadcast live on the Seven Network.
PAST FIVE MATCHES
SOUTHPORT
QF: 12.15 87 def Brisbane Lions 5.8 38 (Morton Bay Sports Complex)
R22: 21.18 144 def Coburg 4.14 38 (Fankhauser Reserve)
R21: 12.13 85 lost to Gold Coast 14.10 94 (Metricon)
R19: 6.14 50 lost to Collingwood 13.10 88 (Victoria Park)
R18: 12.13 85 lost to Essendon 13.9 87 (Fankhauser Reserve)
GOLD COAST
EF: 13.16 94 def Box Hill Hawks 10.11 71 (Metricon Stadium)
R22: 12.11 83 def North Melbourne 11.11 71 (Arden Street Oval)
R21: 14.10 94 def Southport 12.13 85 (Metricon Stadium)
R19: 19.14 128 def Port Melbourne 8.11 59 (Metricon Stadium)
R18: 13.13 91 def Brisbane Lions 13.11 89 (Morton Bay Sports Complex)
PREVIOUS FIVE HEAD-TO-HEAD
May 21, 2021: Southport 17.14 116 def Gold Coast 5.3 33 (Fankhauser Reserve)
June 15, 2019: Gold Coast 12.6 78 def Southport 9.9 63 (Fankhauser Reserve)
June 2, 2018: Gold Coast 14.9 93 def Southport 12.7 79 (Fankhauser Reserve)
July 22, 2017: Gold Coast 14.14 98 def Southport 6.4 40 (Fankhauser Reserve)
June 3, 2017: Gold Coast 23.18 156 def Southport 6.3 39 (Metricon Stadium)
