The team will be looking to bounce back from our QClash defeat at the MCG on Sunday against an in-form Collingwood who are coming off an ANZAC Day clash win against Essendon.
The SUNS supporter base in Melbourne really delivered against St. Kilda at Marvel Stadium in Round 5 and we will be looking for similar support at the G, with these three key things to watch out for come Sunday at 1.10pm.
Making our visit to the MCG count
It is the only game at the MCG in the regular season for the Gold Coast SUNS and the team will be looking to make it count. This fixture last year will bring back happy memories for the SUNS after they handed the Magpies a 24-point defeat in Round 7, with Brandon Ellis (35 disposals) and Touk Miller (34 disposals) running rampant.
The SUNS have played four teams in the top eight so far this season and now face another top eight combatant in Collingwood. The team will be desperate to chalk up another four points on the road and importantly at the Holy Grail of Football, where the SUNS will be hoping to play far more regularly in the future, especially come finals time.
Witts to continue dominate season
Jarrod Witts’ return to football this season following his ACL injury that ruined his 2021 has been spectacular and he currently sits on top of the list when it comes to hit outs with 218. Sitting third on 182 hit outs is Collingwood’s ruckman Brodie Grundy, which would have set-up a mouth-watering clash for fans had Grundy not injured his PCL in last weekend’s victory.
Coach Stuart Dew will be looking to capitalise on Grundy’s absence and for his midfield to gain first use out of the centre, however young gun Darcy Cameron and debutant Aiden Begg will be looking to step up into the role to ensure the Magpies are competitive in the centre bounce.
The intercept king to repel Pie forward thrusts
Vice-Captain Sam Collins was described by Stuart Dew as ‘the ultimate team man” and a “competitor” after last week’s game and SUNS fans will be in furious agreement having seen Collins stand tall in every game so far this season. Like Witts, he also leads a key statistical component of the game, ranking first in the entire league in intercept marks.
Collins often heads straight to the dominate opposition key forward, but Sunday’s game against Collingwood will throw up another challenge for Collins given the Pies don’t have an obvious tall up forward. Brody Mihocek is the versatile forward that might be his likely opponent, with Darcy Cameron potentially having to move to the ruck. Whoever he lines up on, Collins will be doing what he does best, cracking in and being the ultimate team man.
