Injuries won’t dim optimism with Suns rising to test
Pride hit hard as Giants thump Lions
GOLD Coast are sick of looking like a side that can be bashed and have vowed to take a ruthless edge into today’s clash with St Kilda.
Suns fans would have been dismayed to learn of injury withdrawals to midfielders Gary Ablett and Aaron Hall following the loss of Michael Barlow (broken leg) last week. GWS attacked Brisbane at their leadership and then rolled through their inexperienced underbelly to claim top spot on the AFL ladder with a 60-point victory at the Gabba last night.
Lions captain Dayne Beams lasted just two minutes before he left the field after being crunched by Giant ruckman Shane Mumford.
Dayne Zorko and Daniel Rich avoided any physical damage but their reputations and pride were badly wounded.
Lions coach Chris Fagan likes to look for positives and
Ablett (calf) and Hall (hamstring) failed to get through Friday’s training session.
But vice-captain Touk Miller, who returns after two weeks out with illness, said the Suns’ confidence had not been rocked by the injuries.
“We talked about it in the team meeting and from the feeling among the group, you wouldn’t even realise we had lost a big-name player,” he said. although it is stretch to claim any from a 22.14 (146) to 12.14 (86) defeat, the disappointing Gabba crowd of 11,454 would have at least been encouraged
“The group hasn’t been hit hard by it.
“We all know Gary isn’t going to be around forever, we have to start to rely on the team we have.”
Miller said while the side lost talent in superstar Ablett, who was scheduled to play his 300th game, the focus all week had been on ramping up their physicality at Etihad Stadium.
In last week’s 10-point loss with the performances of the draft class of 2016.
Alex Witherden’s clean ball use stood out in his debut and along with Jarrod Berry and to Carlton, the Suns’ pressure was below standard and they appeared to lose heart to win the contested footy.
Miller said the physical aspects of the game went handin-hand and when one dropped away for the Suns, the other always followed.
“We have to be ruthless in wanting to win the ball and attack the opposition; we need to have an edge to us,” he said. Hugh McCluggage, the trio looked like Brisbane’s most skilled players.
Fagan praised the efforts of the three teenagers.
“They were great, so that’s the pleasing aspect,” he said.
“It was a good plan by them to attack our senior guys, we don’t have many of them.
“You wouldn’t have to be rocket scientist to work that out but they did it well, they were pretty ruthless.”
The Giants’ planning was obvious from the start. Sam Reid sweated on Zorko’s every move and ex-Docker Matt de Boer played a defensive forward role against Daniel Rich.
Brisbane’s two most penetrating players barely touched the ball in the first half when the game was up for grabs.
When the halftime siren sounded, the Giants were 33 points up and Zorko trudged into the sheds with just five touches.
He went without a touch after the main break.
Reid also chimed in with two goals to make the annihilation of Zorko complete.
Rhys Mathieson also had the opportunity for more midfield minutes and got a career high 31 touches.
But the Lions were no answer for the Giants in space. GWS GIANTS V BRISBANE BEST 3.3 9.8 18.11 22.14 2.4 4.5 7.10 12.14 GOALS INJURIES CROWD