1. Three talls too tough
It looked like Sam Day would overshadow his more celebrated teammates in the forward line after kicking two goals in two minutes in the first quarter. But as the game progressed, the combined size of Day, Tom Lynch and Peter Wright was too much for an under-strength Fremantle defence. May and Lynch kicked four apiece, while Wright finished with three. All three floated back at various stages late in quarters and bobbed up to take important marks. If they can avoid the Suns' injury curse and can stay on the field together, they’ll be a handful for years to come.
Full match stats and coverage
2. Too much left for too few
Lachie Neale was outstanding for Fremantle, picking up a casual 30 disposals by the fifth-minute mark of the third quarter, and 43 for the match. He was a machine in the middle of the ground with 10 clearances, but wasn't supported by his teammates. The next highest disposal count was Danyle Pearce with 25, and Neale had nearly a third of Fremantle's clearances. Michael Walters (four goals) was a constant threat in the forward line, but aside from Shane Yarran, had little help. Senior players David Mundy and Chris Mayne were quiet, and Matt Taberner was soundly beaten by Steven May.
3. Captain May to the rescue
Steven May came under fire earlier in the year after his big knock on Lion Stefan Martin resulted in a five-match suspension. But against Fremantle, as acting captain with Gary Ablett and Michael Rischitelli injured, May was excellent. He led from the front (in defence), blanketing numerous Docker inside-50s, and keeping their big key forward Taberner to just one goal – a flukey dribble kick from the boundary line. May had 24 disposals and took 13 marks, directing play from the backline and kick-starting the Suns' third-quarter resurgence.
4. A debutant with a difference
Shane Yarran kicked a goal in his first match. So far, so standard. Yarran is a mature-aged recruit, drafted at pick 61 in last year's draft. There's quite a few mature-aged recruits running around these days, so again, not unusual. But Yarran is 27, and in 2013, was released from jail after being sentenced to six years for burglary. He dominated for Subiaco in the WAFL, kicking 93 goals in two seasons as a medium-size forward, including five in a premiership last year. Coming into the team for the injured Hayden Ballantyne, Yarran was lively in the forward line, kicking two goals from his 10 disposals, and ran hard up the ground to provide a target.
5. Twists, turns and turnovers
No one knew what to expect coming into a match between two injury-decimated sides sitting 15th and 16th on the ladder. It ran in spurts; the two teams often stringing three or four goals together before fading away. Even when Gold Coast pulled away in the final quarter with two quick goals to Lynch and another to Jack Martin, Fremantle responded with two of their own to put a bit of doubt in the minds of the Suns. There were turnovers aplenty – something that could be expected from two teams with a combined 25 players on their injury lists.
