The Gold Coast SUNS reserves have fallen just short of qualifying for a maiden finals berth in the NEAFL, despite dispatching of Ainslie in Canberra on Saturday afternoon.
 
Josh Fraser’s side required a minor miracle to bridge the percentage gap between Gold Coast and Southport, but unfortunately it wasn’t to be. Although the SUNS finished the season with conviction, easily seeing off the tricolours 22.10 (142) to 8.10 (58) at Alan Ray Oval.
 
In a sign of the positive impact the SUNS Academy has had on the reserves in 2015, three of the best players were current Academy products, with Dyson Budarick finishing off his impressive season with a best on ground performance. Whilst Jesse Joyce and Ethan Reeves were also key contributors in the 84-point win.
 
Utility Louis Herbert ran riot against Ainslie, booting five goals to put the Canberra outfit to the sword. He wasn’t the only one to cash in on the weekend, with prized draftee Peter Wright booting four goals, along with Tyrone Downie, who followed up his six-goal haul last week with another four.
 
Wright’s first season at Metricon Stadium draws to a close with the key forward prospect finishing on 36 goals from 15 appearances in the NEAFL, to go with a brief taste of senior football on three occasions.
 
After a disastrous 2014 campaign, the focus heading into this season was to be far more competitive in the NEAFL this season. Had the SUNS banked a few more wins in games where they had the opportunity to win, then they would have finished in the top six and featured in September.
 
In the end, eight wins is an enormous improvement, particularly given the ridiculous injury toll that has had a flow on effect at Gold Coast throughout the 2015 campaign.
 
Goal Kickers: L. Herbert 5, P. Wright 4, T. Downie 4, B. Scheer 3, G. Broughton 2, N. Crowley, D. Trask, A. Boston, S. Tape

Best Players: D. Budarick, J. Joyce, L. Herbert, D. Gorringe, A. Boston, E. Reeves