The Gold Coast SUNS will take with them fond memories of one of the greatest moments in club history as they chase a historic double-first against the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval on Sunday.

It was on their first visit to Adelaide on April 23, 2011, that the GC SUNS posted their first AFL win, coming from 40 points down late in the third quarter to beat Port Adelaide by three points at AAMI Stadium.

Luke Russell snapped what turned out to be the winning goal over his shoulder at the 27-minute mark of the final term before an agonising wait for all concerned with the club.

Port’s Justin Westhoff had a 40m angled shot after the siren which could have reversed the result but he pushed his kick right and the SUNS prevailed 15-14 (104) to 15-11 (101).

It was the first time the Suns had kicked 100 points and the first time they figured in the Brownlow Medal votes.

Gary Ablett collected three votes for his 26 possessions, while Michael Rischitelli earned two votes for a game-high 31 touches (20 contested possessions). Brandon Matera earnt one vote and a NAB AFL Rising Star nomination for 21 disposals and four goals. Jack Hutchins made his AFL debut.

This weekend the SUNS will head back to the City of Churches for their first match at the new-look Adelaide Oval and to play in front of almost certainly the biggest crowd to which the young club has ever faced. That mark presently stands at 36,913 against Collingwood at the MCG in round 10, 2012, but it will almost certainly be smashed given that crowds for Adelaide games at Adelaide Oval this year have been 50,397 against Port Adelaide, 47,426 against Sydney, 44,770 against GWS Giants, 44,216 against Melbourne and 50,051 against Collingwood.

Interestingly, in a pointer to how quickly the SUNS have moved on from year one; at least half the side that enjoyed that special moment in 2011 will be missing on Sunday.

Harley Bennell became the 11th confirmed non-starter when he was ruled unfit on Thursday night. He joins Nathan Bock, Jared Brennan, Josh Fraser, Daniel Gorringe, Daniel Harris, Karmichael Hunt, Sam Iles, Seb Tape, Josh Toy and Maverick Weller.

Bock and Gorringe are on the SUNS’ injured list, Hunt and Tape will play in the NEAFL, and Weller is now at St Kilda. Fraser - the SUNS reserves coach - Brennan and Harris have retired, Toy is playing with the Essendon VFL team and Iles is in the same competition with Box Hill.

Those who did not play against Port in round 5, 2011, and have definitely been included in the round 11 side for Sunday are Greg Broughton, Clay Cameron, Sam Day, Aaron Hall, Kade Kolodjashnij, Tom Lynch, Steven May, Jaeger O’Meara and Dion Prestia.

They will join Ablett, Charlie Dixon, Jarrod Harbrow, Matera, Trent McKenzie, Rischitelli, Russell, Zac Smith and Danny Stanley, all members of the SUNS’ first winning side, as confirmed starters.

Pending final selection, Hutchins and David Swallow will join this group after being named on an extended interchange bench for Sunday, and Sean Lemmens, Tom Murphy, Matt Shaw, Alex Sexton and Jeremy Taylor are possible inclusions if included in the final 22.
Kolodjashni and Cameron and possibly Lemmens and Sexton will play their first AFL match in Adelaide.

Day, recruited from SANFL club Sturt, will play his second match in his home city looking for his first win. Lemmens, from Port Adelaide, will be hoping to play his first match in front of family and friends at home.

The SUNS will have another club first on their radar as they look to extend a club record five-game winning streak and consolidate the club’s position in the top four on the AFL ladder. They have not beaten the Crows in five meetings. They’ve lost to them by 57 and 91 points at AAM Stadium, and by 61, 69 and 28 points at Metricon Stadium.

Ablett, Harbrow and May are the only SUNS players to have played in all five games against the Crows, with Ablett heading the club tally in possessions and goals.

The skipper has kicked 11 goals in five games, including a club-best four in 2011, and averages a staggering 35.6 possessions against Adelaide, with two 40-possession games and a pair of 30-possessions games to his credit.

Ablett also has picked up seven Brownlow Medal votes against Adelaide. Prestia, with three votes in the loss at Metricon last year, is the only other SUNS play to poll against the Crows.

For the Crows, Patrick Dangerfield and Scott Thompson each have polled seven Brownlow Medal votes in five games against the SUNS.