NEAFL ROUND 11

Saturday, June 16, 2018

Gold Coast SUNS (8th) v Sydney Swans (4th) at Metricon Stadium, 11.30am
*Live Champion Data statistics available on the Official NEAFL App

SUMMARY

They say one week is a long time in footy, well what about seven weeks. It almost seems an eternity ago when the SUNS beat the Swans at their adopted home at Fankhauser Reserve. That day the SUNS recorded their third win of the season and were sitting very nicely in fourth. The Swans, on the other hand, only losing by nine points, recorded their third loss of the season, and were sitting on the bottom-of-the-ladder with no wins.

Although they didn’t win, it started the resurgence of last year’s grand finalists. The Swans were unable to win their next game which was a thriller against Aspley at the SCG, going down by a point but were able to record their first win a week later, against the GIANTS. The Swans have now won their last five games beating the three best teams – Southport, Brisbane and Sydney University along the way.

For the Gold Coast SUNS, it has been quite a different story since the sides played in Round 4. The SUNS lost their next three matches before having the bye. Then, they were able to win the Gold Coast derby against Southport before they were beaten comfortably by the GIANTS last week.

RD 11 TEAM SELECTION

RECENT ENCOUNTERS

Round 4, 2018: Gold Coast 8.10 (58) d Sydney Swans 6.13 (49) at Fankhauser Reserve.
Preliminary Final, 2017: Sydney Swans 21.16 (142) d Gold Coast 11.8 (74) at BISP
Round 21, 2017: Sydney Swans 23.12 (150) d Gold Coast 13.5 (83) at Metricon Stadium.

TALKING POINTS

1. The SUNS are back home! After 10 rounds away from Metricon Stadium due to the Commonwealth Games, the SUNS are back for their first NEAFL curtain raiser. The SUNS had a decent record at Metricon last year winning six games there, with their last game being when they won their first Elimination Final, against the NT Thunder.

2. In Round 4, the Gold Coast SUNS beat the Sydney Swans in contested ball by 12 which one of the primary factors in the result. In the first five rounds, both sides averaged 144 contested possessions a game. However, from Round 6 to 10, the Swans have averaged 149, and the SUNS have averaged 136 contested possessions a game.

3. With only three wins between top spot and eighth on the ladder, every match is tough and essential to win. If the Swans lose, their position in the top six will be hanging by a thread, but if they win, will most likely be second. For the SUNS, a win won’t see them back into the top six because of poor percentage, but will see them knocking on the door, and close the gap between the Swans and SUNS, making this an eight-point game.

ROOKIE WATCH

Caleb Graham played his first game in the NEAFL this year last week against the GIANTS after playing six last year. From Cairns, Graham has moved to the Gold Coast to try and make an AFL list. The Cairns Saints junior is in the Allies this year, after playing in the academy series the last two years. Graham will have a big job ahead of him this week playing against a very talented Sydney Swans forward line headlined by Nic Newman.

STATS THAT MATTER

The third quarter has been the definition of the premiership quarter for the SUNS this year. Every third quarter Gold Coast have won, they have won the match.

TEAM