Gold Coast’s 27-point loss to Fremantle on Saturday evening may be the least of their concerns, with an incident involving young forward Ben King likely to draw the ire of Match Review Officer Michael Christian.
King was blanketed by returning Docker Alex Pearce, who kept the Suns’ leading goalkicker to just seven touches and without a major.
It appears King let his frustrations get the better of him late in the game, driving an elbow into the head of Fremantle’s Luke Ryan in a marking contest.
A frustrated Ben King could be in a bit of strife for this. Ryan got up and took the kick, but the action wasn't great #AFLFreoSuns pic.twitter.com/vgoGssX8Jf
— Brayden Cocks (@brayden_cocks) June 12, 2021
The luckless Pearce was returning from a MCL injury sustained earlier this year, however was not the biggest return despite his fantastic job on King.
That title belonged to 2020 number one draft pick Matt Rowell as he made his return from a knee injury sustained in the opening round this year.
After suffering a PCL injury against West Coast in what was the first quarter of Rowell’s 2021 campaign, he made his return at Optus Stadium, the scene of his Round 1 injury.
Despite not reaching the lofty heights of his debut season, Rowell was solid and worked his way into the contest as the game progressed, finishing with 14 disposals.
The Suns showed some heart to fight back in patches throughout the game, but ultimately weren’t clean enough against an undermanned Fremantle side who were stronger late.
A Gold Coast midfielder may be ruing his actions from earlier in the year, while Justin Longmuir proved the depth of his list.
Here’s everything you need to know!
Miller shines again:
Touk Miller has once again shone the brightest on a difficult day for the Suns’, the popular clubman finishing with 31 disposals, 510 metres gained and a goal.
It’s certainly not the first brilliant game Miller has played this season, his breakout season engraining him as Gold Coast’s best midfielder at this point.
In a performance likely to net him more Brownlow votes, the only disappointing aspect is the fact Miller is ineligible to win the award.
He was suspended in Round 8 against St Kilda for rough contact against Nick Coffield, ruling him ineligible to claim the league’s award for its best player.
However, the 25-year-old has youth on his side and will be coming into his footballing prime in the coming years.
The Dockers pass the depth test:
Justin Longmuir would’ve been scratching his head and wondering who he had left after watching his team suffer five injuries against the Bulldogs last week to compound an already lengthy injury list.
Against the Suns this week, missing the likes of captain Nat Fyfe and at least eight other members of their best 22, Fremantle did a remarkable job to win in front of their home fans with two debutants.
Longmuir is becoming known in the AFL world as a very smooth operator, and it’s fair to say that if viewing the club’s injury list on Monday morning this week didn’t phase him, then nothing will.
What’s next?
The win for Fremantle puts them just one game outside of the eight, and they’ll head into the bye with real belief of playing finals this season.
With a host of big names set to return in the coming weeks and three bottom-eight teams in the weeks after their bye, there’s a realistic chance the Dockers will be in the eight in a month’s time.
Meanwhile, if the Suns struggled against an undermanned Fremantle side, they’re certainly going to find next week’s clash against Port Adelaide no easier.
The Power will be licking their wounds from their defeat to the Cats earlier this round, and are sure to come out firing meaning Stuart Dew’s men will need to pull off a huge upset to record their fifth win of the year.
FULL SCORE
Fremantle: 2.2, 3.4, 9.7, 11.10 (76)
Gold Coast: 1.3, 1.8, 5.9, 6.13 (49)
GOALS
Fremantle: Treacy 2, Mundy 2, Lobb 2, Darcy, Colyer, Walters, Shultz, Henry
Gold Coast: Burgess 2, Rankine 2, Miller, Flanders
BEST
Fremantle: Darcy, Brayshaw, Tucker, Ryan, Aish
Gold Coast: Miller, Swallow, Ellis, Powell, Greenwood
INJURIES
Fremantle: nil
Gold Coast: nil
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