Suns sold on winning Andrew Stafford
July 17, 2011GOLD COAST 1.2 7.6 7.9 12.13 (85)
RICHMOND 6.8 6.9 8.16 9.16 (70)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Stanley 3, Brennan 3, Swallow 2, Ablett, Toy, Rischitelli, Iles.
Richmond: Cotchin 3, Newman, King, Riewoldt, Foley, Nahas, Grigg.
BEST
Gold Coast: Bock, Ablett, Swallow, Brown, Rischitelli, Smith.
Richmond: Nahas, Deledio, Newman, Houli, Cotchin, Grigg.
UMPIRES McBurney, Kamolins, Grun.
CROWD 10,832 at Cazaly's Stadium.
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CAZALY'S Stadium in Cairns is like watching suburban football in the tropics - there's a nice, wide hill that comfortably nestles about three-quarters of the crowd, and the lack of grandstands means the wind sweeps right through. Early in the third quarter of this match, an osprey soared close to the ground, clutching a fish half its size. You won't see that at Etihad Stadium.
This venue's open plan could not have been more decisive in the outcome of the game between Richmond and the Gold Coast Suns. A six-goal wind might have been best on ground. Richmond captain Chris Newman is hardly the second coming of Bernie ''Superboot'' Quinlan, but when he roosted through a goal from well inside the centre square in the first term, every player on the ground took note.
No one who marked remotely within scoring range at the northern end looked to give the ball off for the rest of the match. It was going to be a matter of which side used those conditions better - and whether the Suns, who would kick with the aid of the breeze in the final quarter, could still raise a gallop.
That has been a recurring problem for the Suns, but after the players were given much of the week off by their coaching staff, and the Tigers blew their chances in the third quarter by kicking 2.7 to leave them protecting just a 13-point lead at the last change, the scent of a rare victory was enough for the Suns to storm home.
That was after giving Richmond a six-goal start at quarter-time, too, when Trent Cotchin kicked three, Robin Nahas (easily his side's best player) had 13 touches and the ball looked like it was full of helium, so long as it was travelling to the northern end. But the Tigers were wasteful then, too, kicking 6.8 for the quarter.
Of course, wind aside, you still have to win the ball. In the second quarter, David Swallow began to find a great deal of it. The No. 1 pick is one Suns recruit who, rather than dropping off as the year progresses, has just seemed to get stronger. He was the key in the clinches, while Danny Stanley matched Cotchin with three goals of his own.
It gave the Suns a slender lead at half-time, and while they did not kick a goal in the third - unsurprising, really, since only two goals were kicked to the southern end all match - the Tigers' inefficiency always looked like costing them dearly. It did not help that Jack Riewoldt was having another stinker, beaten pointless by Nathan Bock all game. Bock, aided and abetted by Campbell Brown - too physical even for Dustin Martin, who had little influence - was impassable, while still providing rebound. All the Suns' senior leaders would be called upon to drag the younger players over the line in the final quarter, and all responded.
Gary Ablett, who came into the game under an injury cloud, started up forward (purely to protect his knee until he warmed up, according to coach Guy McKenna) and predictably barnstormed through the final quarter, icing it with a goal that seemed to hang in the air forever before dropping just over the line.
It was Josh Toy, though, who kicked the sealer late in the match to secure the Suns' third win of the season, lifting them off the bottom of the ladder - over Port Adelaide, which, as Richmond fans won't need reminding, scored one of its two wins this year against the Tigers at another foreign venue, Darwin.
That's two home games the Tigers have sold this season for no points.
WILD IS THE WIND
This match was all about the elements - just two goals and six behinds were scored at the southern end of the ground for the entire match, courtesy of a six-goal breeze favouring the northern side of the ground. The Tigers squandered their opportunities in the third quarter, and with them went the game.
FOR SALE: FOUR POINTS
Damien Hardwick may find it insulting, but Tigers fans will still be asking whether or not the result might have been different had this match been played at home - and whether or not the end result might have cost Richmond any chance of its first finals berth since 2001.
LURE OF THE TROPICS
More than 10,000 people crammed into Cazaly's for the AFL's first senior premiership fixture in Cairns, and they sang along with Mike Brady as he delivered what he called ''his superannuation'', Up There Cazaly. This won't be the last match here.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/suns-sold-on-winning-20110716-1hjb1.html#ixzz1SI5tMSZz
