The Gold Coast SUNS remain unbeaten after three rounds of the NEAFL after a comprehensive 50 point victory over Morningside at Metricon Stadium in the curtain raiser to the SUNS VS Essendon clash.

It was an arm wrestle in the first half, with inaccurate kicking keeping Morningside within reach at the main break, only trailing by 19 points.

As has been the trend this season, the SUNS were able to run out the match better than their opposition and went on with the job, posting a 17.24 (126) to 11.10 (76) win.

Mature age recruit Kyal Horsley and Charlie Dixon both kicked four goals for the SUNS.

Whilst pleased with the win, coach Shaun Hart acknowledged the SUNS still had some work to do.

“There has been enough stuff to impress us that they are picking up what we are asking of them in our game plan,” he said.

“Over the four quarters there was enough of our ability to win footy and do what we wanted to dictate the game ourselves.”

“I still thought tonight we were a little bit sloppy in a few areas and concentration for the four quarters was definitely one of those.”

Although leading at quarter time, the SUNS were again a bit tardy in the early stages, which is something Hart made mention of pre match.

“We spoke about it pre game, but nothing is ever guaranteed and the opposition is always going to come and you can’t control what they are going to do,” he said.

“Again we were slow out of the blocks, and we seemed to be trailing in defence, and our ball use was a bit sloppy as well.”

“We just found we weren’t able to be clean in our ball movement like last week against Sydney.”

With the SUNS opting for only two ruckman in the seniors, there was plenty of tall timber on display, and the combination of Tom Nicholls, Tom Hickey, Charlie Dixon and Josh Hall was very effective both in the ruck and in attack.

Hart said the make-up of his side each week was obviously dictated by the make-up of the senior team, and his team would adapt as required.

“It is a bit of what we have to cope with,” he said.

“If we play two talls in the seniors, then we have to play the rest of the talls, literally.”

“We need to give them a go, and sometimes the structure is not ideal, it certainly does help against smaller opposition but we need to allow these guys to develop their craft.

“I thought they worked pretty well tonight.”

“Dixon in a spurt particularly in the third quarter was outstanding, his best quarter of footy for the year.”
Sam Iles, who was dropped from the senior team took his demotion on the chin and turned in a five star performance, one which Hart expected.

“You expect him to be able to play at and above the level at times and he has done that,” he said.
“He has once again shown he is more than capable at this level and now it is about can he transport that into the top level.”

Another SUNS player who has been in outstanding form this season is rookie listed Kyal Horsley.
Hart was glowing in his praise of Horsley.

“What I love about Kyal Horsley is that he is one of the most coachable guys I have met,” he said.
“He has come along and said I want to be coached to the next level and we love that attitude, and all our players need to have that attitude.”

“Kyal is a ripper and he is getting reward for following the game plan and playing his role as best he can.”
The SUNS defence was also terrific, with Taylor Hine and Hayden Jolly providing fantastic rebound, and Jack Hutchins and Michael Coad keeping Morningside’s two key forwards, Kent Abey and Shaun Mugavin under control for a large portion of the match.

“They battled manfully away there. I thought sometimes we opened up in the corridor and they were under a lot of pressure and did pretty well.”

“Hutchins didn’t necessarily get a lot of football himself, but made sure that Abey didn’t.”

Barring some corkies to Sam Iles, Tom Hickey and Joel Wilkinson, the SUNS got through the match without injury concern.

The SUNS sit atop the NEAFL Northern Conference ladder, and will take on the Brisbane Lions (5th, 2 wins, 2 losses) next week at Yeronga on Saturday at 1:30pm.

GOLD COAST 3.5 8.10 14.17 17.24 (126)
MORNINGSIDE 2.1 6.3 8.6 11.10 (76)

GOALS: Dixon 4, Horsley 4, Patrick 3, Iles 2, Magin, Sexton, Jolly, J.Hall 1.

BEST: Iles, Horsley, Hine, Dixon, Jolly, Gillbee, Coad, Patrick, Hutchins, Hickey.