Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Gold Coast have snapped their 10-game AFL losing streak on the back of an all-time great performance from Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell.
The Suns onballer had a career-best 40 disposals, with 17 clearances and 16 tackles, as the Suns beat GWS 11.13 (79) to 11.11 (77) on a miserable Canberra afternoon.
Sunday’s upset left the Giants at least a game plus percentage out of 10th spot and a wildcard berth with two rounds left. Tenth-placed Carlton will play 11th side St Kilda on Sunday night.
After winning the Brownlow last year, Rowell has battled injuries this season and been well off his best form. But he revelled in the wet and cold conditions at Manuka Oval.
There will be plenty of talk about the weird goal awarded to Gold Coast’s Bailey Humphrey in the last quarter.
Eight minutes into the final term, Humphrey was running into goal when Giants backman Lachie Ash brought him down with a tackle.
As Humphrey slid across the goal-line, the back of his heel clipped the ball and the goal umpire paid it. The crucial score stood on video review.
The Giants were dealt a double blow early in the second term when Jayden Laverde (ribs) and Toby Bedford (back) were forced out of the game.
In wet and cold conditions, Rowell and defender Mac Andrew led Gold Coast to a six-point lead at the first change.
Only three goals were scored in a scrappy second term and when Leo Lombard kicked accurately at the start of the third quarter, the Suns had taken a 16-point lead.
But that sparked the Giants, who briefly regained the lead as they more than doubled their score with four goals.
Gold Coast steadied with the last two goals of the quarter, giving them that lead for the final quarter.
After only a combined eight goals in the first half, the two teams kicked five apiece in the third as the game broke open.
Touk Miller kicked three and Ben King added two, as he went to outright second in the Coleman Medal.
Giants youngster Josaia Delana snapped a goal with seconds left to cap his breakout game, which featured 20 possessions and two goal assists.
