The growing chorus of score review critics will be out in force this week after a howler of a decision gifted James Frawley the Demons' first goal. The much-maligned system had one of its worst moments when Gold Coast defender Rory Thompson rushed through Frawley's 50m set shot with a clear punch about a metre out from goal. The Suns' players started setting up for their kick-in, only for the on-field umpires to relay the decision upstairs. Melbourne, perhaps sensing its luck was in, seemed to grow in confidence thereafter, booting the next two goals in quick succession.

 

West Coast coach Adam Simpson blamed inaccurate goalkicking for the Eagles' 14-point loss to Port Adelaide on Saturday night and, with respect to Melbourne, Gold Coast might have suffered the same fate against a better team. The Suns were abysmal in front of goals in the first half. At one stage the visitors' score read 2.10 – with two of those rushed – before improving slightly to have 6.12 to their names at the long break. It could have been costly but Chris Dawes failed to make the Suns pay missing two close-range set shots in second term.

After his selfless shutdown job on Carlton skipper Marc Murphy, Nathan Jones was handed the toughest task in the game on Suns champ Gary Ablett. It started well for the Demons' co-captain, with the little master only gathering six touches to quarter-time. However, the two-time Brownlow medallist lifted to drive Gold Coast's match-winning second term with 11 touches and a goal to have 17 possessions at the long break. Jack Grimes and Jordie McKenzie each had a crack at Ablett in the second half, but he still finished with 32 touches – 17 contested – eight clearances and 2.1 and should add to his nine career Brownlow votes against the Dees. Jones, for his part, was Melbourne's best with 30 touches, five tackles and a goal.

 

Given Melbourne's new-look forward setup and Gold Coast's struggles to clunk a mark inside 50m this season it was no surprise only 22 goals were kicked. Still, Chris Dawes and surprise swingman James Frawley have straightened Melbourne up in recent weeks and Dawes might have kicked a bag of five or six goals. He ended up with 2.4 in a bullocking display, while Frawley added 2.1. At the other end, Gold Coast finally found some targets up forward. The Suns were ranked last in the League for marks inside 50m, averaging only six per game. But Gold Coast held 17 inside the arc against Melbourne, with key forwards Tom Lynch (two goals) and Sam Day (one goal) hauling in four each.

 

If Gold Coast is to fulfil expectations of a premiership – the Suns hope to break through by the end of 2015 – it needs to make the MCG into a home away from Metricon Stadium. The Suns now have two wins at the home of football – both against the Dees – from seven games. In round seven last year, Gold Coast pumped Mark Neeld's Demons by 60 points, a match that was also their last win on the road prior to Sunday's 16-point triumph. The Suns don't play at the MCG again during the home and away rounds, but will surely make more frequent visits to football mecca as their wins pile up.