MATT Rowell is being pursued by a handful of Victorian clubs who hope to see him playing in Melbourne far more often from 2026. But in his one and only scheduled appearance at the MCG this year, the midfielder showed why he is so crucial to Gold Coast finally playing in September for the first time in 2025.
In just his fourth AFL appearance at the home of football, Rowell looked at home at the MCG, helping the Suns' emerging midfield upstage Melbourne's array of All-Australian superstars in a statement-making 58-point win on Saturday afternoon.
The 23-year-old has a big decision to make on his future, showing why so many clubs want his signature, amassing a career-high 36 disposals, 19 contested possessions, 13 clearances (nine centre), eight inside 50s and seven tackles in the 18.12 (120) to 8.14 (62) win.
Rowell has never struggled at the coalface, but the 2019 No.1 pick exploded from stoppage all day at the MCG to punish the Demons with his game-changing clearances, especially Clayton Oliver who spent most of the day matched up on him.
While Rowell was the star of the show, two other Victorians – Noah Anderson and Touk Miller – starred in their first visit home of 2025. Miller finished with three goals from 23 touches, while Anderson was one of the best players on the ground with 35 touches.
History tells us that Gold Coast needs to sustain this form for longer before we can trust it, but it is starting to enhance its reputation. It has now won four consecutive games on the road after ending a 16-game losing streak outside Queensland last August.
And the Suns have now ended the club's longest losing streak against an opposition, beating the Demons for the first time since 2014 to break a 12-game losing streak against Melbourne.
Max Gawn kicked the first behind of the game a minute in but the Demons wouldn't lead again, failing to respond after last Sunday's poor 59-point to North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium to be 0-3 for the first time since 2019.
Damien Hardwick's side could – and should – have won by even more, given the inside 50 win on the back of the significant clearance win, which kept the MCG eerily quiet with 24,506 predominantly Melbourne supporters left frustrated.
Ben King continued his fast start to 2025, adding four goals to the six he booted in round one against West Coast to move clear in the Coleman Medal count, despite starting the afternoon with three behinds.
Dual All-Australian Steven May couldn't contain Gold Coast's budding spearhead in his first game of 2025, after recovering from a fractured larynx. May's day started poorly when he conceded a 50m penalty for a late hit on Will Graham resulted in the first goal of the game.
Gold Coast made Melbourne pay for another 50m penalty, this time for dissent, with Jed Walter converting from just inside the arc. It took a classy moment from Jake Bowey, who marked outside 50, turned and goaled from long range to stop a period of sloppy turnovers for both sides, but the Suns were away early with four goals on the board by the first break.
Just when Melbourne started clawing back in the second quarter, Anderson responded instantly with a goal on the run, under fierce pressure, from just inside 50. Gold Coast didn't capitalise on its opportunities in the first half; neither did Bayley Fritsch who missed two set shots from a similar spot on the ground to reduce the margin before the main break. It summed up an underwhelming half. Gold Coast had 10 more inside 50s, but not the buffer its dominance deserved.
King had the first two shots of the second half but missed both set shots, allowing a response from Melbourne, via Harry Sharp at the end of a messy passage through the corridor. There were turnovers everywhere between the arcs. Not many, if any, will watch the replay.
Miller is no longer captain, but the dual All-Australian showed why he is still an outstanding leader, converting to set shots four minutes apart from opposite pockets, to put some breathing room into the contest. After two late goals to Melbourne in red time, Graham kicked a goal as the siren sounded for the final change to extend the margin to 34 points.
Gold Coast kept the foot down in the last quarter, led by Rowell in the middle. Collingwood, Geelong, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs are all hunting the inside gun. But right now, the Carey Grammar product is putting the Suns on a path to September.
MELBOURNE 1.4 2.9 6.12 8.14 (62)
GOLD COAST 4.5 5.8 12.10 18.12 (120)
GOALS:
Melbourne: Sharp 2, van Rooyen, Petracca, Melksham, Langford, Chandler, Bowey
Gold Coast: King 4, Miller 3, Graham 2, Witts, Weller, Walter, Read, Noble, Long, Humphrey, Flanders, Anderson
