GOLD COAST FOOTBALL CLUB v GEELONG CATS
FANKHAUSER RESERVE SOUTHPORT

Gold Coast Football Club has registered its first VFL win at Southport’s Fankhauser Reserve against Geelong.

In a tight, physical contest played in perfect Gold Coast weather, GCFC was able to run away from the Cats in the last quarter to record a hard –fought 10.8 (68) to 5.10 (40) win.

For much of the match, though, the game was in the balance. Only a few points separated both sides until the final ten minutes when GCFC was finally able to break away from its tiring opponent.

Despite the ideal playing conditions both teams struggled to find any fluency early and in the contest’s formative moments the frenzied defensive pressure of both sides was the only real highlight.

In fact, it wasn’t until the eleven minute mark until either side registered a goal. That went to GCFC’s Maverick Weller who nailed a free kick from long range.

Soon after Rory Thompson backed up some solid defensive worked with a strong lead, mark and goal. All of a sudden GCFC had an early break and Geelong was struggling to find any momentum.

Luke Russell, Roland Ah Chee, Daniel Harris and Rory Thompson all featured strongly for the home side in a very even team performance early on, and at quarter time, the home side had earned a handy 10 point lead.

The second quarter started where the first left off – GCFC’s work ethic was up, its intensity was there, its effort was commendable - but unfortunately the points weren’t coming.

Seven minutes in the Cats snagged one against the run of play – their first for the match - and for all the home side’s hard work, it only had a three point lead.

Alik Magin soon rectified things when he converted a fifty metre penalty from long range.

Both sides were now playing with plenty of numbers behind the ball, and when the turnovers came – and there were plenty - forward targets were hard to find.

The rest of the quarter was hard, physical toil. Although the highlights reel wouldn’t have pleased the purists, there was plenty for the local crowd to appreciate. As a team, GCFC’s defensive hustle was outstanding. Individually, Daniel Harris’ exemplary courage was again on show when he hauled himself to his feet after several heavy clashes, Zac Smith’s athleticism in the ruck was terrific, and Luke Russell’s work rate in close was nothing short of inspirational.

Even so, Geelong managed to find a way through late in the term when AFL-listed Trent West kicked truly from thirty out.

At the end of grinding half of football, GCFC led by just two.

After half time, GCFC started well with several enterprising forays forward and eventually Geelong cracked when Liddy forced a turnover with crunching tackle and the impressive Daye cashed in with a terrific running goal.

But it wasn’t all rosy for GCFC. Russell was helped from the field with what looked like a facial injury, and soon after his Tasmanian counterpart Maverick Weller also departed.

To compound GCFC’s problems, Geelong managed to score from a stoppage and for a moment it looked like GCFC’s fortunes may have swung.

But the home side didn’t lie down. Some more Daye dash saw the ball rushed into GCFC’s forward fifty, and a neat Swallow footpass set up Harris who kicked straight to extend the lead to eight. Thompson consolidated GCFC’s lead moments later with his second.

Geelong answered twice through Adam Varcoe to reduce the deficit again to two points, but GCFC responded through debuting PNG expatriate Stanis Susuve who threaded one from a tight angle on the stroke of three quarter time.

At the final change it was GCFC by eight.

Liddy and Patrick twice missed chances early in the last quarter, but thankfully for the locals, the Cats were equally wasteful.

Eventually the outstanding Luke Russell, back on the ground after his earlier mishap, broke the deadlock with a fine individual effort and with Magin, Coad, McKenzie and the ever reliable Harris all starting to get plenty of telling touches and the clock winding down, it was looking more and more like GCFC’s day.

Rex Liddy kicked what looked like the sealer after some terrific lead up work, but it was perhaps fitting given his courageous return to the field late in the game that Luke Russell kicked straight on the siren to ice GCFC’s first VFL victory.

In the end, it was GCFC by a hard earned 28 points.
GCFC 2.1 (13) 3.3 (21) 7.4 (46) 10.8 (68)
Geelong Cats` 0.3 (3) 2.7 (19) 5.8 (38) 5.10 (40)

GOALS: Thompson (2), Russell (2), Weller, Magin, Susuve, Daye, Harris, Liddy
BEST: Magin, Hutchins, Weller, Swallow, Ah Chee