It’s the Round 16 edition of the Gold Coast SUNS weekly Club Champion countdown, as compiled by goldcoastfc.com.au., making the top 5 this week…

Tom Nicholls played his best game since joining the Club in the 2010 draft against Richmond, Nicholls more than holding his own against giant Tiger’s ruckmen Ivan Maric and Ty Vickery finish the afternoon with a career-high 18 disposals and 25 hit-outs… the 21-year-old ruck rover capping off his stellar performance with the NAB’s AFL Rising Star nomination for Round 16.

The  in-form Gold Coaster has made the most of injuries to Zac Smith and Charlie Dixon and looks to be building towards something special having collected a massive 52 possessions in his last three matches against quality AFL opposition. 

Greg Broughton was also strong against the Tigers, the former Docker finishing with 24 disposals and a game-high nine tackles – prompting Gold Coast SUNS assistant coach and former teammate Dean Solomon to say it was Broughton’s best game in the red and gold.

Rory Thompson put on a monstrous first-half display in front of our North Queensland fans at Cazaly’s Stadium Cairns, keeping Jack Reiwoldt to just six touches and zero goals before a heavy collision resulted in the ginger giant going down with a bruised chest mid-way through the third quarter. 

Returning to the top 22 for the first time since rupturing his ACL over a year ago, Seb Tape picked up where Thompson had stopped, throwing himself into the contest in a bid to neutralise the All-Australian’s impact on the contest. 

Danny Stanley left little in the tank in his four-quarter battle against Brett Deledio, the Gold Coast midfielder turning up the heat on his Tiger’s opponent – with the Vice-Captain’s 24 disposals failing to hurt the SUNS while Stanley 17 of his own. 

And that wraps up another edition of the Gold Coast SUNS 2013 Club Championship countdown – exclusively on goldcoastfc.com.au.

With only 7 weeks left, we’re going to stop posting tally...