Gold Coast Suns v North Melbourne
Sunday, August 30 - 6.10pm AEST
Metricon Stadium
Sunday’s clash showcases two teams in need of premiership points, having combined for just two wins since Round 5.
Having started the season brightly, the Suns and Roos have fallen away in the latter half of the year, sitting in 14th and 17th respectively.
The Suns’ exciting young team has shown it can mix it with the best, and will enter the match as favourites.
North has been decimated by injury this year and has only 28 players available, but having beaten Gold Coast on its own turf last season, it will be confident of a good result.
Last time we met
Round 12, 2019
North Melbourne 14.15.99 def Gold Coast 11.6.72
Captain Jack Ziebell stole the show in his 200th game, starring with 2 goals and 28 disposals.
After Will Brodie kicked the first of the night, the Roos took control, kicking 7 goals to 1 in the first term, holding a comfortable margin throughout the contest.
Ben Cunnington was excellent in midfield with 31 disposals, while 2 goals for Tarryn Thomas earned him a Rising Star nomination.
The matchup
Nick Larkey v Sam Collins
With Ben Brown out injured, Larkey has stepped up to become the number 1 forward.
The number 20 has shown he can handle the responsibility, with 11 goals in 6 games.
He will face a tough test on Sunday in Collins.
Collins’ form has seen him enter All Australian discussions, with the fullback ranked third in the league for intercept marks
The key men
Luke McDonald and Jack Lukosious
Despite the Roos’ woes of late, McDonald has hit a purple patch of form, transforming himself into an elite rebounding defender.
Since Round 9, in which he notched up a career-high 35 disposals, McDonald has averaged 28 disposals, 6.8 marks and 8.2 rebound 50s.
His 121 effective kicks places him eighth overall in the AFL, one spot above Sunday’s opponent, Lukosious.
Drafted as a forward, Lukosious’ move to defence has been a highly successful one.
The second-year player has been lethal coming out of defence, with his 69 rebound 50s the fourth most in the AFL.
The stat
Gold Coast and North have the equal most Rising Star nominations in the past two seasons, with five each.
The teams
Gold Coast
B: C.Budarick, S.Collins, J.Lukosius
HB: W.Powell, C.Graham, C.Ballard
C: L.Weller, H.Greenwood, B.Ellis
HF: N.Anderson, S.Day, B.Ainsworth
F: I.Rankine, B.King, J.Corbett
FOLL: J.Witts, D.Swallow, T.Miller
I/C: J.Bowes, A.Sexton, S.Flanders, D.MacPherson
EMG: W.Brodie, B.Fiorini, P.Wright, J.Dawson
IN: A.Sexton, D.MacPherson
OUT: J.Harbrow (injured), S.Lemmens (omitted)
North Melbourne
B: T.Murphy, R.Tarrant, M.Williams
HB: S.Atley, B.McKay, L.McDonald
C: T.Dumont, J.Simpkin, S.Higgins
HF: M.Wood, N.Larkey, C.Zurhaar
F: A.Hall, J.Walker, L.Hosie
FOLL: T.Goldstein, L.Davies-Uniacke, J.Anderson
I/C: M.Daw, B.Scott, P.Ahern, E.Vickers-Willis
EMG: S.Durdin, J.Crocker, M.McGuinness, T.Campbell
IN: A.Hall, M.Daw
OUT: J.Mahony, T.Xerri
