GOLD Coast has finished its season on a high, defeating Richmond by 28 points on Saturday afternoon, confirming the Tigers' wooden spoon in the process.
In their only game on the MCG for the year, the Suns fought through for the 14.10 (94) to 10.6 (66) win, playing against both the Tigers on the field and the emotion of a farewell for several players set to leave the club or retire.
TIGERS v SUNS Full match coverage and stats
An eerie feeling floated around the sun-drenched MCG, with the Tigers-heavy crowd utterly silent in the face of any Gold Coast success, but deafening when celebrating their own side.
It was a relatively uncontested start to the game, with a focus on uncontested marks and outside run. Such style was partly driven by Richmond's powerful opening quarter clearance work in which it broke free of congestion at speed, and partly a result of some misguided kicking by both sides, opening the door for intercept marking and rebound play.
Sam Flanders was Gold Coast's engine room and goalkicker, with his workrate unmatched across the ground, helping him to 29 disposals and two goals for the game. The breakthrough Sun set a new club record for disposals across a home and away season in the process, moving past Gary Ablett jnr's record set back in 2012.
Meanwhile, after slow starts, Matt Rowell (29 disposals, eight clearances) and Noah Anderson (30 disposals, one goal) had an impact.
In opposition, Richmond's midfield duo of Jacob Hopper (24 disposals, 13 clearances) and Tim Taranto (30 disposals, 14 tackles) were immense, getting the home side off to a hot start around the contest.
Once the Suns started to find some control around stoppage, however, fortunes shifted, and they found several avenues to goal. This included Jack Lukosius (two goals), returning after a fortnight out, and Ben Long (12 disposals, three goals), who looks at home in attack.
A third quarter press from Richmond, spurred on by the crowd and the injection of retiring premiership player Marlion Pickett, kept the game in the balance. The Tigers kicked three goals to the Suns' one, narrowing the margin to 21 points at the final break.
But Suns co-captain Jarrod Witts wasn't willing to end 2024 on a loss, inspiring a last quarter lift from the visitors, and finishing with 46 hitouts, 19 disposals, and a goal.
Maurice Rioli jnr's return to Richmond's forward line was a welcome one, as he added some speed and endeavour on the deck inside 50, while nephew Daniel Rioli added a genuine highlight in the second term with an impressive running goal in what may prove to be his final game in the yellow and black.
The result confirms a wooden spoon finish for Richmond in its first season under Adem Yze, with a busy player movement period on the horizon.
A rare sight
Coming into the game with just two goals to his name after 132 career games, key defender Charlie Ballard made it three to open the final quarter. Sliding neatly inside 50 without an opponent trailing him, Ballard essentially turned into a winger for the Suns. Neatly hit up from the opposing side of the 50, Ballard took the mark and calmly went back to nail the set shot. Fittingly, his teammates celebrated as if it were his first.
Welcome back, Jack
Classy Sun Jack Lukosius returned to the side after two weeks out, dropped on form by coach Damien Hardwick. While it took a little bit of time to settle back in at AFL level, Lukosius became a major factor up forward for Gold Coast. Thanks to his damaging run at half-forward, he offered a neat link going inside 50, before moving deeper to become the key forward target. He finished with two goals from seven disposals in what was a handy return to the senior side.
The Tiger Army is dedicated
Although the game was a final round dead rubber, and the Tigers were sitting on the bottom of the ladder, their fans were vocal and enthusiastic all afternoon. As retiring premiership player Marlion Pickett, named as the starting sub, began warming up along the boundary, the crowd cheered as if he were on the field kicking a goal. Once he made it onto the ground in the third quarter, they were deafening with every touch Pickett gathered in his final game, including a standing ovation when he kicked his very last goal in the AFL. They spontaneously burst into the club's theme song in different moments, and cheered the smallest Tiger wins on field. It was clear they saw an opportunity to influence the game, even from the stands.
RICHMOND 3.4 5.4 8.5 10.6 (66)
GOLD COAST 4.1 10.6 11.8 14.10 (94)
GOALS
Richmond: D.Rioli 2, Bauer 2, M.Rioli, Pickett, Mansell, Graham, Bolton, Baker
Gold Coast: Long 3, Lukosius 2, Graham 2, Flanders 2, Witts, King, Ballard, Andrew, Anderson
BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Hopper, Vlastuin, Baker, D.Rioli
Gold Coast: Flanders, Uwland, Witts, Rowell, Anderson, Miller
INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Marlion Pickett (replaced Sam Banks in the third quarter)
Gold Coast: Jake Rogers (replaced Alex Davies in the third quarter)
Crowd: 34,557 at the MCG
