Suns show grit to win dour fight

IT was wet, wild, ugly and just the way Stuart Dew liked it as the Gold Coast Suns notched a 16-point win in his first game in charge.

The rookie AFL coach watched as his team lifted its intensity in the final quarter to defeat North Melbourne 7.13 (55) to 5.9 (39) last night.

All 12 goals came at the same end of the ground, with final-quarter majors to Jack Bowes and Jarryd Lyons proving the difference.

A wet week in Cairns got a whole lot wetter about 45 minutes before the first bounce, with torrential rain sweeping across the region and flooding Cazalys Stadium.

North Melbourne coped best in the puddles early, winning more contested ball and notching the first quarter’s only goal through Shaun Higgins.

But they were left to rue those missed opportunities as the rain eased, the ground drained and the Suns kicked five straight to finish the half leading by 24 points.

North Melbourne responded by pushing Jack Ziebell forward and kicked all four goals in the third term.

The rain returned in the final term and the ball rarely left the Suns’ forward half with David Swallow (game- high 30 touches) dominating.

The win snapped a run of five straight losses for the Suns in Cairns.

The Suns showed great desire to win the contested possessions 208-189. GOLD COAST V NORTH MELBOURNE 0.2 5.6 5.8 7.13 1.2 1.6 5.7 5.9 GOALS