Gold Coast is on the board in 2023, but that's overshadowed by the fact Geelong, the reigning premiers, still are not after three rounds.
A Jack Lukosius-inspired Gold Coast outfit has claimed one of the best wins in their club history, upsetting the Cats by 19 points and keeping the 2023 premiers to just seven goals.
Stuart Dew’s Suns badly needed a win after two poor losses to start the season. All day, despite some poor skills and bad misses, the Suns kept grinding away and eventually burnt the Cats in a final quarter that could set up the club’s season.
Gold Coast entered the final break on the right side of a goal’s margin and gave themselves breathing space with a Charlie Ballard major.
The Cats hit back, but for the final 10 minutes of the clash it was all the Gold Coast Suns. Lukosius, who booted a career-high five goals including two crucial ones in the final quarter, was the fire starter.
Almighty thump.
— AFL (@AFL) April 2, 2023
That is a monster kick from Lukosius!#AFLSunsCats pic.twitter.com/A3nwADIBrN
In scenes that will prove one of the highlights of the year, the prodigiously talented Sun launched a long bomb over 73 metres to put the margin over two goals and hand the home side all the ascendancy.
No player perhaps emanated the clash in the way Ben King did with a lack of polish on too many occasions for a player of his talent.
King had one of the great ‘almost’ days in his third game back from a knee reconstruction.
The 22-year-old spent much of the clash matched up on Esava Ratugolea and frequently found space on the lead while also looking dangerous in the air.
But King dropped nearly a dozen marks for the day, several of them uncontested. He finished with 1.2 but could have enjoyed an all-time day out.
Several Suns teammates missed easy shots at goal, but it was the same down the other end in seemingly perfect conditions. However, there will be nothing but joy at Heritage Bank Stadium for the men in red, who perhaps suggested they’re finally ready to play finals in 2023.
Lukosius was undoubtedly the star in what could be a coming-of-age performance for the South Australian, while co-captains Touk Miller and Jarrod Witts were everywhere when the whips were cracking.
It’s also a fitting win for David Swallow, who became the first Sun to reach 200 games and celebrated with 15 disposals.
First Suns player to 200 Games. Congrats David Swallow! 👏
— Fox Footy (@FOXFOOTY) April 2, 2023
📺 Watch #AFLSunsCats LIVE on ch. 504 or stream on Kayo: https://t.co/9sZzAUC5Qa
✍️ BLOG https://t.co/ZqtxWt1OOK
🔢 MATCH CENTRE https://t.co/lIDy77a4Ug pic.twitter.com/Yqnf9vaEMJ
On the flip side, Patrick Dangerfield is still yet to celebrate a win as Geelong's full-time captain.
The Cats played finals in 2004 after starting the season 0-3, but for all Chris Scott’s suggestions, Geelong looks a shadow of the team that ripped apart last year’s Grand Final.
Many Cats impressed on the stats sheet, but Geelong was smashed in clearances, contested possessions and went at a miserly 38.5 per cent inside 50.
In further troubling news for Geelong, Sam De Koning was substituted out in the third quarter with a concussion after a sickening head clash with Nick Holman.
The Cats have had a dearth of options down back in recent weeks, but with Stewart putting in a mighty performance and Jake Kolodjashnij playing VFL on Sunday, they will be confident in their stocks down back.
FULL SCORE
Gold Coast: 2.3, 3.9, 6.11, 10.13. (73)
Geelong: 3.4, 3.6, 5.10, 7.12. (54)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Lukosius 5, Anderson, Ballard, Jeffrey, King, Sexton
Geelong: Cameron 3, Rohan 2, Dangerfield, Bowes
BEST
Gold Coast: Lukosius, Weller, Holman, Miller, Witts
Geelong: Stewart, Smith, Cameron, Dangerfield, Guthrie
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Flanders (knee)
Geelong: De Koning (concussion)
CROWD: N/A