It was a Saturday afternoon to remember for the SUNS in a 73-point demolition of the West Coast Eagles in its first home game of the 2023 AFLW season.
As records tumbled as Jamie Stanton celebrated her 50th AFLW game in style, SUNS Media have looked at some of the key and remarkable numbers from Saturday’s win.
Record scores
The SUNS were on song from the opening bounce with Stanton kicking the first three majors with a score of 4.2.26 at the first break being the SUNS’ second largest scoring quarter. That would soon be overtaken in a 27-point second term as another four goals were converted. The piece de resistance was left until the final quarter with a five-goal, 31-point term surpassing Gold Coast’s previous best as its highest scoring quarter in the AFLW.
7.7 (49) was locked in as the club’s highest AFLW score heading into the 2023 season - that was broken by half-time with the SUNS sitting pretty on 8.5.53 at the main break before going on to fall a point shy of becoming the third team in league history to crack 100 points. The final score does however sit perched as the third-equal highest score in eight seasons of AFLW.
Stanno’s superb six
With nine career goals heading into her 50th match, few would have expected Stanton to have three goals on the board in the blink of an eye as the SUNS shot out of the gates. She surpassed the previous club record of four goals in a match, held by Kalinda Howarth, half-way through the fourth quarter before setting up Claudia Whitfort for a goal of her own and slotting a sixth in the game’s final stages. Only Brooke Lochland’s haul of seven in 2018 has Stanton’s haul covered.
Jac Dupuy had a career-best afternoon kicking three goals, as did Tara Bohanna who joined illustrious company with four goals of her own.
Midfield maestros
There was little the Eagles defence could do to halt an on-song SUNS midfield.
Whitfort shot out of the gates with a superb first half, eventually finishing with 33 touches, six clearances and a goal. Alison Drennan didn’t stop running, making a game-high 11 tackles while Lucy Single was influential in negating any West Coast threats from the middle - both players finished with 19 touches.
Charlie Rowbottom’s contested game continues to go from strength to strength and her stat line needs to be seen to be believed. A record-breaking 16 clearances, the most ever by an individual in an AFLW game, went with 33 disposals, 24 contested possessions, 10 tackles, six marks and four goal assists.
SUNS statistical dominance
It was as ruthless as a performance can come from the home side. The SUNS made 113 more disposals than West Coast, won the Inside 50 count 52-18, dominated clearances finishing +27 while also winning 14 of the 17 centre clearances.
Cameron Joyce’s side made the most of their forays forward as well, taking 16 marks inside forward 50.
