Christian Petracca starred again for the Gold Coast Suns, kicking four goals in their 59-point win over the West Coast Eagles on Sunday night. The Suns won 20.11 (131) to 10.12 (72) at People First Stadium.
What happened?
The Suns blew the game open with a blistering first half, racking up 13 goals by the main break to establish a 62-point advantage. Petracca picked up right where he left off from against Geelong, booting three goals in the first term.
Key players
Jarrod Witts was unstoppable in the ruck, finishing with 20 disposals, a game-high seven clearances, and a long-range goal. Noah Anderson was also prolific, racking up 34 touches, while Alex Davies had a big impact in less game time than his teammates.
The game
The young Eagles fought back with a five-goal third term, but the Suns steadied to win. Ben King kicked five goals to make it nine for the season, with Leo Lombard impressing with two goals. Petracca's performance has sparked talk of a potential six Brownlow votes.
What's next?
The Suns will look to build on their strong start to the season, with Petracca and Witts leading the charge. The Eagles, on the other hand, will aim to bounce back from their disappointing loss. Milan Murdock, the Eagles' mature-age debutant, showed promise with 22 disposals and two goals.
The Suns started the game raging favourites and were in no mood to muck around, slamming on seven first-quarter goals to explode to a 38-point lead at the first change. Petracca finished with four goals from 23 disposals, 14 of which resulted in scores.
Witts had his way with Matt Flynn, putting the ball on a plate for his midfield. The Suns' midfield laid the foundation for victory, despite missing Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell due to a finger injury.
The Eagles came out with renewed vigour after the main break, deserving to win the third term with five goals to three. Harley Reid tried hard all game, as did Deven Robertson and impressive mature-age debutant Milan Murdock.
Petracca's performance against the Eagles has sparked talk of a potential six Brownlow votes, with some believing he was best on ground. The four-time All-Australian set the tone with three first-quarter goals and finished with four from 23 disposals for the game.
The Suns will look to continue their strong form, with Petracca and Witts leading the charge. The Eagles will aim to bounce back from their disappointing loss and build on the promising performances of their young players.