NOT ON Noah's watch.
Gold Coast's young midfield ace Noah Anderson has etched his name into club folklore with an incredible goal after the siren to breathe life into its season with a remarkable two-point triumph over Richmond on Saturday night.
The Suns trailed by 40 points in the third quarter and 28 at the last change, but a furious final quarter charge saw them snatch a 14.10 (94) to 13.14 (92) victory.
SUNS V TIGERS Full match coverage and stats
The Suns looked gone for most of the night.
But Mabior Chol's third goal with one minute remaining gave them a sniff, and Anderson had a chance to be a hero after Sam Day passed him the ball 45m from goal.
With the siren sounding as he walked in, the former No.2 draft pick drilled his set shot straight through the posts to be mobbed by teammates and send Metricon Stadium into a frenzy.
It levels Gold Coast's season at an 8-8 win-loss record and keeps them in the finals hunt, while denting Richmond's (9-7) aspirations at the same time.
INJURY CARNAGE Tigers lose three key men to injury
The Tigers will rue missing a host of easy opportunities in the final quarter to put the game away, including a seemingly open goal to Jason Castagna that was smothered by Charlie Ballard in the dying stages.
Jake Aarts and Maurice Rioli Jnr also missed very gettable set shots that would have iced the four points.
Touk Miller was marvellous for the victors, finishing with 27 disposals, 13 clearances and a goal, while Ben Ainsworth (26 and two goals) and Anderson (26 and two) also had huge impacts.
Shai Bolton (29 and three goals) did not deserve to be on the losing team, while Daniel Rioli (31) also had a huge influence.
The Tigers lost power forward Tom Lynch to a hamstring injury early, but it made little difference early on as their power running from congestion overwhelmed the shell-shocked Suns.
The home team led by a goal late in the first quarter, but a classy Bolton crumbing effort followed by two quick goals to medi-sub Noah Cumberland began to flip the script.
Gold Coast's second quarter was arguably its worst of the season.
But somehow they chipped away and chipped away and gave Anderson a chance to live out a childhood dream.
Ballard's heroic smother
While Anderson deserves the headlines for his breathtaking finish, Charlie Ballard will get just as many plaudits from his teammates for a final quarter smother that might have saved the day. With Jason Castagna streaming towards goal and looking like burying the four points for the Tigers, Ballard came from nowhere to launch at the ball and gets his hands on it to deny the small forward a goal.
Bolton brings all the tricks
It was clear from early on Shai Bolton was going to have a major say on the outcome of the game. Starting in the centre square at the first bounce, Bolton was a headache for the Suns as he bolted forward from congestion at any opportunity and often found himself in metres of space. He kicked one goal from a perfectly timed front-and-square in the first quarter and then added two in the second – one from a clever one-handed mark. Bolton was clearly the difference between the teams and his 29 disposals and 3.3 tells only part of the story, with his spectacular leaping and cat-like landings as exciting as anything this season.
Tom's strain is Noah's gain
Losing power forward Tom Lynch to a hamstring strain midway through the first quarter was not a great start for the Tigers. However, it did unleash Noah Cumberland into an unlikely role of medi-sub hero. Cumberland, the former Brisbane Academy product taken in the 2019 NAB AFL Draft was playing just his second game – he was the unused sub in his official debut against Sydney in round 11 - and quickly pocketed two goals. The 21-year-old was a handful in the forward line finishing with 2.3.
GOLD COAST 3.3 4.4 8.7 14.10 (94)
RICHMOND 5.3 9.8 12.11 13.14 (92)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Chol 3, Ainsworth 2, Anderson 2, Day, Fiorini, Holman, Miller, Oea, Rowell, Swallow
Richmond: Bolton 3, Riewoldt 3, Cumberland 2, Aarts, Edwards, Graham, Pickett, Short
BEST
Gold Coast: Miller, Ainsworth, Anderson, Ellis, Ballard, Swallow
Richmond: Bolton, Rioli, Prestia, Grimes, Baker
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Rosas Jnr (hamstring)
Richmond: Lynch (hamstring)
LATE CHANGES
Gold Coast: Nil
Richmond: Thomson Dow replaced Jack Ross (knee)
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Rory Atkins (replaced Rosas Jnr)
Richmond: Noah Cumberland (replaced Lynch in the first quarter)