The SUNS unbeaten start to the NEAFL season is over after a 12 point loss to Labrador at Yeronga on Sunday.
The match was originally scheduled for Labrador on Saturday, but was rescheduled after torrential rain on the Gold Coast in the preceding 24 hours.
Wet conditions greeted both sides at Yeronga, which ensured a low scoring scrap, and it was the Tigers who eventually prevailed 8.6 (54) to 6.6 (42) to take top spot in the NEAFL Northern Conference.
Coach Shaun Hart said it was an old fashioned scrap.
“It was one of those scrappy wet weather games,” he said.
“It was a pretty even affair for most of the time. They were just a bit cleaner in the conditions.
“They played it fairly smart and got players behind the ball and we just struggled to cope with their extra numbers.”
“We kept trying to get good structure, and we finally got it and played a little bit of ok footy but they (Labrador) had already got themselves two or three goals ahead and were that bit better.”
Hart believed whilst the rescheduling of the match was not desirable, it played no role in the result.
“I don’t think there was any issue there. It is not an ideal situation, but it was the same for both teams, but I wouldn’t have thought it had any effect on our effort,” he said.
Hart was delighted with the performance of senior players Andrew McQualter, Alik Magin, Josh Hall and Jackson Allen, but saved a special mention for two of the top up players (not on the senior or rookie list) for the SUNS.
“McQualter was terrific again, and I thought Alik Magin was really good today,” he said.
“Young Josh Hall is coming along in leaps and bounds and really starting to understand the game. I enjoyed watching what he did today and he is coming along well. Jackson Allen played probably his best game to date.”
“(Mitchell) Hopkins and (James) Skennar, a couple of the young top up players, were very good also. We had very good efforts from all of the young players today.”
With Kyal Horsley, Charlie Dixon, Sam Iles, Maverick Weller and Joel Wilkinson all getting much deserved promotion to the SUNS senior team, and Michael Coad, Rory Thompson and Jaegar O’Meara also missing, the NEAFL side was robbed of some much needed experience and size in the wet conditions, but Hart said that was the role of the reserves team.
“That’s the reality,” he said.
“They have to go up to play senior footy when they need numbers up there, and we have to learn to cope with that.”
The SUNS (2nd, 4 wins 1 loss) will have to rebound quickly, as they take on defending NEAFL premiers Northern Territory Thunder (5th, 4 wins 2 losses) at Metricon Stadium on Saturday, which will be the curtain raiser to the SUNS VS Fremantle match.
Hart was looking forward to the contest with the Thunder.
“It will be a fantastic game definitely,” he said.
“They will be lightning quick and skillful and we will need to play really good defence and make them work defensively as well.”
The first bounce is at 12:30pm.
GOLD COAST 2.3 2.4 4.4 6.6 (42)
LABRADOR 3.0 4.1 7.4 8.6 (54)
GOALS: Fraser 2, Toy, May, Moss, Patrick
BEST: McQualter, Hall, Magin, Allen, Jamie Skennar, Michell Hopkins.
