Match Report: Round 5, 2016
A five-goal final term has lifted North Melbourne to a 38-point win over Gold Coast to maintain their unbeaten start to the AFL season.
The Kangaroos led at every change against an undersized SUNS before their final-term blitz blew the SUNS away in an 18.11 (119) to 11.15 (81) victory.
The win means the Roos have won their opening five matches of a season for the first time since 2005.
The SUNS began coach Rodney Eade's 600th match as a coach or player without key defenders Steven May (suspended) and Rory Thompson (ankle).
Twice, the hosts managed to get within three points of the Kangaroos but, both times, the visitors seized back the initiative with a flurry of fast goals.
The loss means after three straight wins to start their season, the SUNS have slumped to a 3-2 record after five matches.
Coleman Medal contender Tom Lynch continued his hot start to the year with four more goals to take his season tally to 22.
Peter Wright, in his first start of the year, also booted three goals in a good performance by the two-metre forward.
The SUNS suffered a late blow with Adam Saad limping off with a groin injury, while captain Gary Ablett completed the match despite coming off in the opening term with a cork to his right calf.
Kangaroos' midfielder Ben Cunnington was placed on report in the second term for rough conduct on Ablett.
GOLD COAST 3.4 6.10 9.13 11.15 (81)
NORTH MELBOURNE 6.4 10.8 13.10 18.11 (119)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Lynch 4, Wright 3, Ablett, Ah Chee, Grant, Rischitelli
North Melbourne: Brown 4, Higgins 3, Thomas 2, Waite 2, Petrie 2, Goldstein 2, Gibson, Macmillan, Ziebell
BEST
Gold Coast: Lynch, Rischitelli, Ablett, Saad, Wright
North Melbourne: Goldstein, Dal Santo, Higgins, Swallow, Waite, Ziebell
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
North Melbourne: Nil
Reports: Ben Cunnington reported in second quarter for rough conduct on Gary Ablett
Umpires: Meredith, Mollison, Ryan
Official crowd: 13,351 at Metricon Stadium
