GOLD COAST has taken a massive stride towards a possible finals berth by upsetting North Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on Saturday night.

Apart from a tardy start, the Suns handled the sloppy conditions better than the visitors, dominating much of the game to run out 9.12 (66) to 8.3 (51) victors.

The win ensured Gold Coast (5-6) leapfrogged North (4-7) on the ladder.


North will be gutted to have again squandered a big lead, losing despite kicking four goals to none in the opening quarter to lead by 25 points at the first change.

After the match, Kangaroos coach Brad Scott denied his team had a mental block despite holding a quarter-time lead in 10 of its 11 fixtures but only converting that into victory four times.

Scott said the loss to the Suns had more to do with an inability to adapt to the wet conditions as well as their opponents.

"There's no capitulation, just an inability to do the fundamentals well," Scott said.

"Others can talk about it if they want but that's not an issue as far as I'm concerned."



"The other clubs have had to put that pressure on North to get that result and that was clearly what we had to do after quarter-time.

"Certainly a couple of our dopey mistakes in the back half of the ground really opened us up but I thought after quarter-time the boys showed a lot of poise, resilience and, again, our ability to run out the game I thought was super."

Gold Coast captain Gary Ablett again inspired his team, brilliantly setting up a second-quarter effort for Luke Russell, as the Suns kicked seven unanswered majors either side of half-time to gain the edge.

Ablett, Russell and Tom Lynch all booted two goals each for the home team, while Trent McKenzie was among the best on ground with a nine-mark, 25-disposal display.


Drew Petrie, Aaron Black and Lindsay Thomas kicked two goals each for the Kangaroos but it was a remarkable miss from Thomas in the first quarter that stood out.

The Kangaroos forward had done well to intercept a poor cross-field kick from Tom Lynch on the 50m arc before sprinting towards goal.

But, with the path to goal still clear, Thomas opted to grubber from 15m out and could only steer the ball onto the post.

Thomas responded to boot the first goal of the second quarter but for the next 40 minutes it was one-way traffic as the Suns dominated.


By the time Daniel Wells kicked a goal for North in the third quarter, the Suns had turned their early deficit into a 17-point lead.

Sam Gibson soccered a goal inside the opening minute of the fourth quarter to give the visitors a sniff but an inspirational run and goal from Ablett straight after halted the Roos' momentum.

From then, the Suns held firm with Russell's second major sealing the home team's fifth win of the campaign, moving the Gold Coast within touching distance of the top eight and conversely, leaving the Kangaroos' finals hopes hanging by a thread.

The Suns will face a nervous wait on star tall Charlie Dixon, who left the field in the final term after hurting his right ankle in his first game back from injury.




Gold Coast's Jarrod Harbrow gets a kick away against North Melbourne. Picture: AFL Media

GOLD COAST                         0.1       5.6       7.7       9.12 (66)
NORTH MELBOURNE          4.2       5.2       6.2        8.3 (51)
 
GOALS
Gold Coast: Ablett 2, Lynch 2, Russell, Hall, Shaw, Harbrow
North Melbourne: Thomas 2, Petrie 2, Black, Gibson, Wells
 
BEST 
Gold Coast: Ablett, McKenzie, Lynch, Prestia, O'Meara, Harbrow, Murphy
North Melbourne: Gibson, Cunnington, Thompson, Harvey
 
INJURIES 
Gold Coast: Dixon (ankle)
North Melbourne: Nil
 
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Jack Hutchins replaced Charlie Dixon in the fourth quarter
North Melbourne: Will Sierakowski replaced Lachie Hansen in the third quarter
 
Reports: Nil
 
Umpires: Ryan, Chamberlain, McInerney
 
Official crowd: 10,891 at Metricon Stadium