On the morning of the 31st July, 2021 an aircraft carrying the Melbourne team for its recently rescheduled game against the Gold Coast Suns was diverted to Brisbane Airport after the Queensland Government made a snap decision to lock down the South East of the State. Forced to return home to play the game against the Suns at an empty Marvel Stadium on the following day, the dominant Demons easily won that encounter and never looked back. The rest became history.
The opposition on that day was cooked after a long disrupted season, ravaged with injury, a young side lost in a tough competitive system and bereft of confidence. Things are going to be far different when they clash at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night. They were unbeaten in the preseason and opened proceedings for 2022 with a win over the Eagles — their first ever victory in WA, after booting eight goals straight in the final term.
The Suns’ young guns are strutting around like true winners, they’re playing on home turf this week won and they have every reason to feel confident this week because after all, they are champions of Round Two having amassed a 4 zip record in that Round over the past four seasons.
The catch is that they’re coming up against the reigning premiers who were in good form in the opening Round so their young guns in Rowell, Anderson, Rankine and Lukosious will need to be at their absolute best again to make it five in a row.
But this time, the Demons are a fair way from having their best team on the ground with five premiership defenders under a cloud on the injury list. They are Michael Hibberd (calf), Jake Lever (foot), Harrison Petty (calf), Trent Rivers (knee) and Christian Salem (knee) and at ref time of writing, only Rivers is considered a chance to play on Saturday night.
Coach Simon Goodwin needs to shuffle players around which could see Angus Brayshaw and Tom McDonald playing in defence again, joined by the likes of Jayden Hunt, Joel Smith and Adam Tomlinson.
Whilst the shuffling will also have consequences on the rest of the line up, Melbourne is fortunate to have a solid and ever-reliable, star studded midfield and those hardworking small forwards ready to contribute to another Demon victory.
The Gold Coast Suns are up and coming but I expect a total eclipse is on the cards.
Melbourne by 38 points.
THE GAME
Gold Coast Suns v Melbourne at Marvel Stadium Saturday 26th March, 2022 at 8.00pm
HEAD TO HEAD
Overall - Gold Coast Suns 3 wins Melbourne 12 wins
At Metricon Stadium - Gold Coast Suns 1 win Melbourne 2 wins
Past five matches - Gold Coast Suns 0 wins Melbourne 5 wins
The Coaches - Dew 0 wins Goodwin 5 wins
MEDIA
TV - live and on demand on Kayo and live on Foxtel. Check your local guides.
Radio - check your local guides.
THE LAST TIME THEY MET
Melbourne 18.20.128 defeated Gold Coast Suns 4.6.30 at Marvel Stadium, Round 20, 2021
One of the passengers on that flight north in late July was debutant Jake Bowey who made the AFL’s longest trip for a first up game but when the time came to play, he was certainly no passenger. The 98 point win was a great start for the youngster and he continues to play winning football every time he steps on the field. May that run continue well into the future.
THE TEAMS
GOLD COAST SUNS
B: D.Swallow 24 S.Collins 25 S.Lemmens 23
HB: R.Atkins 2 C.Ballard 10 W.Powell 27
C: J.Sharp 20 T.Miller 11 - C B.Ellis 4
HF: N.Holman 7 L.Casboult 30 J.Lukosius 13
F: S.Flanders 26 M.Chol 1 B.Ainsworth 9
Foll: J.Witts 28 - C M. Rowell 18 N.Anderson 15
I/C: A.Davies 5 B.Fiorini 8 C.Graham 46 A. Sexton 6
Sub: D.Macpherson 44 Emerg: J. Corbett 19
In: R.Atkins S.Flanders
Out:
MELBOURNE
B: A. Tomlinson 20 S.May 1 J.Hunt 29
HB: T.Rivers 24 J.Smith 44 J.Bowey 17
C: A.Brayshaw 10 C.Oliver 13 E.Langdon 15
HF: K.Pickett 36 B.Brown 50 J.Harmes 4
F: B.Fritsch 31 T.McDonald 25 A.Neal-Bullen 30
Foll: M.Gawn - C 11 C.Petracca 5 J.Viney 7
I/C: L.Jackson 6 C.Spargo 9 J.Jordon 23 T.Sparrow 32
Sub: T.Bedford 12 Emerg: J.Melksham 18 S.Weideman 26 L.Dunstan 27
In: T.Rivers
Out: C.Salem (knee)
Injury List: Round 2
Kade Chandler - Abdominal | Test
Michael Hibberd - Calf | Test
Jake Lever - Foot | Test
Trent Rivers - Knee | Test
Harry Petty - Calf | 3-4 Weeks
Daniel Turner - Foot | 4-6 Weeks
Christian Salem - Knee | 6-8 Weeks
