GOLD Coast's tall forwards had a big day out at Metricon Stadium on Saturday to lead the Suns to a 24-point win over Fremantle.

Despite missing their six best midfielders through injury, the Suns overturned an eight-point half-time deficit to overrun the Dockers and win 16.9 (105) to 12.9 (81).

Five talking points: Gold Coast v Fremantle

On a hot and windy Gold Coast afternoon, they kicked eight goals to three in the second half to storm to their sixth victory of the season.

The tall trio of Sam Day (four goals), Tom Lynch (four) and Peter Wright (three) combined for 11 of Gold Coast's 16 goals.

They also took 25 marks between them.

Coach Rodney Eade said it was arguably Gold Coast's best win of the season.

"I thought our midfield really stood up; there were some great efforts today," he said.

"It was a great win."

For Day it was a breakout game and an equal career-high, and although Lynch was beaten by Zac Dawson for much of the day, his relentless workrate was rewarded with some telling fourth quarter goals.

Lynch also gave off three goal assists.

WATCH: Young gun's big Day out

Minus Gary Ablett, Dion Prestia, Michael Rischitelli – all in for season-ending surgery – and Aaron Hall, David Swallow and Jaeger O'Meara, the Suns were dealt another blow with the late withdrawal of the experienced Matt Rosa (hamstring).

Stand-in skipper Steven May was a colossus, stemming many Dockers attacks, but it was the makeshift midfield that deserves the plaudits.

Touk Miller (28 touches, seven clearances and seven tackles) – suddenly pitched in as the Suns' main man in the middle – worked tirelessly, while Alex Sexton (25 touches) set a strong tone with his aggressive tackling and excellent clearance work.

He ran alongside Stephen Hill and wore him down over four quarters.

Eade admitted he was concerned the Suns would run out of legs.

"They’re a reasonable running side, even though they’ve got some injuries," he said.

"They do like to run and carry and use some speed. They’ve got three quality midfielders, even though Mundy didn’t play there until the end, in Hill, Mundy and Neale, so yeah, I was worried whether we could share the load in the centre of the ground.

"It was hot, so I was certainly worried about that, but I thought we ran the game out well."


Jarrad Grant (two goals, 15 disposals and two goal assists) also had his best game in Suns colours.

Gold Coast's game plan was obvious – get it long to the big guys and let them go to work. It worked.

Fremantle had its chances, but turned the ball over too often.

Lachie Neale was immense with a career-high 43 disposals, while Michael Walters (four goals) was brilliant in the first half before drifting out of the game.

Coach Ross Lyon said he was pleased with the first half and the way Fremantle fought the game out, but was at a loss to explain a third quarter where his team was outworked.

"Really simply, we're leaving too much to too few and we need a few to buy-in," Lyon said.

"A few of our senior players were quieter than we would have liked them, without naming them."

Missing a plethora of their own stars, including Nat Fyfe, Aaron Sandilands, Hayden Ballantyne and the rested Matthew Pavlich, the Dockers ran out of legs.

Coach Ross Lyon was so frustrated he headed to the bench late in the third quarter to give his players and spray and coach from the boundary line.

MEDICAL ROOM
Gold Coast: After the season they've had, it's hard to believe but the Suns came away unscathed. Matt Rosa was a late withdrawal with a hamstring complaint but could return next week, while coach Rodney Eade said Sean Lemmens and Trent McKenzie could return through the NEAFL.

Fremantle: Rugged defender Lee Spurr was the only minor casualty with a head laceration, but he played the game out. Coach Ross Lyon said it was too early to speculate on whether ruckman Aaron Sandilands would return next week.

NEXT UP
Gold Coast travels to Melbourne next Sunday to take on the Demons at the MCG. With a couple of players expected back from injury, it's another match the Suns would see as winnable. Fremantle heads home to take on the Sydney Swans in what will be a monster day for the club, celebrating skipper Matthew Pavlich's 350th game.

GOLD COAST   5.2  8.3   12.7   16.9  (105)
FREMANTLE    3.0   9.5   10.6   12.9  (81)

GOALS
Gold Coast: May 4, Lynch 4, Wright 3, Grant 2, Matera, Sexton, Martin
Fremantle: Walters 4, Langdon 2, Yarran 2, Taberner, Pearce, Neale, Griffin

BEST
Gold Coast: May, Sexton, Day, Miller, Grant, Harbrow
Fremantle: Neale, Walters, Pearce, Collins, Spurr, Dawson

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Rosa (hamstring, replaced in selected side by Tape)
Fremantle: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stephens, Edwards, Jeffery

Official crowd: 8,933 at Metricon Stadium