After another thrilling finish at Metricon Stadium, the SUNS have come away with their third-straight win.

It was a scrappy contest, but the team at SUNS Media have broken down a few key takeaways from the win.
 

Finding ways to win:

It may not have been pretty, but the SUNS found a way to win on Sunday. It’s the fourth time (from four games) the SUNS have had their match decided by less than a goal, but to be sitting at 3-1 is a major achievement.

In the past, the club may have fallen at the last obstacle and missed opportunities to seal the match, highlighted by the SUNS troubles with final quarters in 2018. But it’s a new team and the boys are fitter than ever, allowing them to run games out until the final quarter and find a way to be on the winning side of the ledger. As Touk Miller said post-match: “we’re learning to win.”

Composure is key:

Having been in so many close encounters in the past month, the SUNS are starting to become the two-minute-drill specialists. The team have shown they can keep their heads when the game is on the line and the clock is ticking down.

On Sunday, with just over a minute left and Carlton in possession, the SUNS were able to set up defensively in a way which forced Carlton’s hand to go down the corridor. In doing so, the Blues turned the ball over and Gold Coast were able to rebound and get the ball inside 50. While Jack Bowes’ left-foot winning snap might not have been executed to perfection, the lead-up to it was the result of teamwork and perseverance. Peter Wright was able to get his hands on it at ground level and fed it out to Bowes who was waiting in the right spot to get the kick away and win the game.   

Touk’s tackling:

In the first quarter against Carlton, Touk Miller had nine tackles. His effort is a club record for the most tackles by a single player in any quarter for the SUNS. Miller was supported by Darcy Macpherson (nine tackles) and Jarrod Witts (seven tackles) in the match. 

The pressure around the ball was a factor in forcing turnovers for Carlton and affecting the quality of their entries inside 50. It’s a big part of senior coach Stuart Dew’s gameplan, and he’ll be happy to see it pay off on game day.

The SUNS currently sit 6th on the AFL ladder and will face the challenge of the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval for Eddie Betts’ 300th game this Sunday.