Suns break 672 day winless spell with victory against Eagles
FINALLY, after 672 days, Gold Coast are back on the winners list.
The Suns battled back from a 16point deficit kicking the final five goals of the game to wrestle back the ascendancy after West Coast shot ahead early in the final quarter with the opening three goals and were seemingly on their way to their first win of the season.
However, Tara Bohanna and Kate Surman combined to kick three and two goals respectively in the last quarter as the Suns ran over the Eagles in a tremendous 11-minute rampage and, as a result, gave Cameron Joyce his first win as coach.
“I’m stoked. The reality is nearly every team in the comp really doubted us,” Surman told Fox Footy.
“We were picked wooden spooners by everyone so I think it’s really good to show everyone that we are not the bottom of the ladder, we can compete and we are having a crack,
“Everyone thought we were down in that last quarter but here we are so every other team don’t doubt us. We are coming.”
Gold Coast’s pressure at the coalface (73-57 tackles) shone through for much of the contest which translated into them controlling much of the game between the arcs.
While the Suns’ inside 50 numbers had doubled from last-week (32 this week, compared to 16), they were unable to make it count on the scoreboard as the Eagles defenders stood up brilliantly.
Playing their first of five straight games in Victoria, West Coast’s work in transition proved to be their greatest weapon, making the Suns pay for their lack of conviction infront of goal before gaining a foothold in the final term.
However, it was the never-say-die attitude of the Suns that helped swing the pendulum back in their favour late - finally making the Eagles pay on the scoreboard through the onetwo punch of Bohanna and Surman.