AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan has praised the Gold Coast SUNS for the club’s effort in getting a record crowd through the gates at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.

The attendance of 24,032 broke the old mark of 23,302, which was set in the club’s first season, also against Collingwood.

McLachlan said the attendance showed how the local community had embraced the GC SUNS and top-level football on the Gold Coast.

“I want to congratulate the Gold Coast SUNS for setting a new attendance benchmark at Metricon Stadium,” McLachlan said. “A sell-out is an outstanding achievement and exciting for the game’s development in Queensland.

“It was great to see a match between two exciting teams vying for a finals berth generate so much interest and be so well received by the Gold Coast people.

“The quality of football and the atmosphere at one of the country’s best stadiums was electric. Anyone who saw that game witnessed a terrific match, one of several outstanding games across the entire round.

“The match day experience at a Gold Coast SUNS home game continues to be a major draw card for the club and a real asset for the Gold Coast and wider Queensland community. The SUNS deserve great credit for putting on a terrific show at every home game as they continue to attract fans from all clubs to the Gold Coast each season.”