Match

Gold Coast Suns vs Western Bulldogs

Commentary / 10 May 2025

Pre Game

00:00

Gold Coast have played at TIO Stadium in Darwin six times across the past three seasons. The Suns won all six of them and won by 60 in four of them. The closest of those six matches came when Gold Coast beat Western Bulldogs by seven points in 2023.

Quarter 1

00:00

Q1 is now underway.

00:58

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)

02:11

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)

03:38

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Sam Clohesy)

04:48

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)

05:52

All three scores for Gold Coast have come from turnovers.

06:32

The Bulldogs are playing on from marks at 62.5% compared to Gold Coast who are playing much slower so far and playing on from only 33.3% of marks.

07:54

Gold Coast has scored every time they've gone inside 50.

08:55

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Will Graham)

10:18

Gold Coast currently has a poor pressure rating of only 1.47. Western Bulldogs have an average pressure rating of 1.87.

10:41

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)

17:10

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)

17:39

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Daniel Rioli)

18:13

Gold Coast have now scored from turnover five times in the opening quarter.

19:31

The Bulldogs have opted to exit their defensive 50 through the corridor from 30% of chains. Gold Coast is yet to exit their defensive 50 through the corridor.

19:59

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Will Graham)

20:53

Gold Coast are leading contested possessions 26-16, led by Noah Anderson with six. No one else has more than three.

21:54

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Buku Khamis)

23:45

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)

24:18

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Sam Flanders)

25:39

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)

27:25

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)

30:33

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)

30:36

Western Bulldogs are winning the clearance count 8 to 6 which includes two goals from centre clearances. Liberatore and Bontempelli are leading the way with 5 clearances and 11 contested possessions between them.

Quarter 2

00:00

Q2 is now underway.

01:24

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Matthew Kennedy)

01:55

Matt Kennedy's three goals is the most he's kicked in a game since 2019.

03:10

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)

06:18

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)

10:21

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Malcolm Rosas)

11:19

O'Donnell has had four interceptions and seven kicks at 100% efficiency this quarter.

12:28

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)

14:15

Gold Coast has 14 forward half intercepts compared to Western Bulldogs, who only have six.

14:28

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)

16:29

Western Bulldogs are leading uncontested possessions 50-26 this quarter.

16:30

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)

20:10

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)

21:31

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ryley Sanders)

22:21

SUNS Interchange - Mac Andrew off due to an injury.

22:59

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Malcolm Rosas)

24:49

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)

25:06

60% of Gold Coast's kicks are long, compared to only 38% for Western Bulldogs.

26:31

Gold Coast are now up to 12 repeat inside 50s compared to only five for Western Bulldogs.

29:41

Western Bulldogs are playing a much quicker game as they play on from 35% of marks, compared to Gold Coast with 17%. However, Western Bulldogs are kicking the ball at only 60% efficiency compared to the Suns who are kicking at 74%.

Quarter 3

00:00

Q3 is now underway.

00:19

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Nick Holman)

01:38

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)

02:34

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)

05:46

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)

06:58

Gold Coast has had 31 inside 50s compared to Western Bulldogs 27. However, Western Bulldogs have scored from 59% of entries, and kicked a goal from 26%. The Suns have only scored from 47% and kicked a goal from 22%.

08:40

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)

09:07

Western Bulldogs are bringing more pressure than Gold Coast with a pressure factor of 1.80 compared to 1.65. The gap between the two sides is even bigger when comparing forward half pressure, where the Dogs have a pressure factor of 1.87 compared to the Suns with 1.40.

09:49

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)

12:12

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Matt Rowell)

13:38

Ed Richards is leading the way for the Bulldogs this quarter this 179 metres gained. Bramble has the next most for the Dogs this quarter with 75.

14:14

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Sam Flanders)

15:26

After a great first half for Bontempelli where he had 17 disposals at 71% efficiency, he's only had 2 disposals in the third quarter at 0% efficiency.

17:26

Gold Coast are winning the ground balls this quarter, 13-8. They were -3 in the first half.

18:15

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Laitham Vandermeer)

19:44

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)

21:03

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)

21:56

Western Bulldogs have won the hitouts 9-6 this quarter. However, they've only had two hitouts to advantage, while the Suns have had four hitouts to advantage.

25:15

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)

25:42

Gold Coast has now kicked nine goals from turnovers. 82% of Gold Coast's goals have come from turnover tonight, compared to 44% for Western Bulldogs.

28:01

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)

29:55

Bulldogs Interchange - Laitham Vandermeer and is possibly out for the game.

30:07

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Sam Clohesy)

30:28

Matt Rowell only had nine disposals in the first half. He's now had nine disposals in the third-quarter alone, as well as three score involvements.

33:00

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Will Graham)

33:39

Bontempelli and Liberatore both had great first halves with 17 and 20 disposals respectively, while using the ball at 70% efficiency. In the third-quarter, they continued to find the ball with 12 disposals between them, but only used the ball at 33% efficiency.

Quarter 4

00:00

Q4 is now underway.

00:50

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Nick Holman)

03:50

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Ed Richards)

05:15

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Rhylee West)

05:44

Western Bulldogs have now taken six marks on a lead inside 50 compared to Gold Coast who has only taken one.

07:43

Western Bulldogs were kicking the ball at 60% efficiency through the first three quarters. This quarter, they're kicking the ball at 86% efficiency. Gold Coast are using the ball at 77% compared to 72% across the first three quarters.

09:28

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Rushed)

10:39

Noble had 16 disposals through the first three quarters. He hasn't had a disposal yet in the fourth quarter.

10:42

Bulldogs Interchange - Rory Lobb off due to an injury.

11:48

Both teams have kicked one goal in the fourth quarter despite the Bulldogs winning the inside 50 count 8-3.

12:23

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)

12:58

Gold Coast has transitioned inside 50 from 34% of chains starting in defensive 50. The Bulldogs have done this from only 20% of chains.

15:19

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (John Noble)

18:46

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Noah Anderson)

20:16

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)

20:59

Bontempelli has only had 2 disposals in the fourth quarter despite playing 100% of time in the midfield. Across the first three quarters he spent 75% of time in the midfield.

22:03

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)

23:34

SCORE BEHIND - Bulldogs (Lachlan McNeil)

25:50

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Sam Davidson)

27:23

SCORE GOAL - Bulldogs (Marcus Bontempelli)

30:15

Western Bulldogs continue to use the ball more effectively than Gold Coast in the final term. The Dogs are using the ball at 81% efficiency compared to 72% for the Suns.

31:58

SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Will Graham)

32:33

Bulldogs Interchange - Harvey Gallagher and is possibly out for the game.

33:07

SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)

33:09

The Bulldogs controlled the tempo of the game with 96 uncontested marks compared to 64, however their kicking efficiency of 65% meant they could only transition from defensive 50 to inside 50 18% of the time. Gold Coast transitioned from defensive 50 to inside 50 32% of the time.