Match

Gold Coast Suns vs Melbourne

Commentary / 28 Jun 2025

Pre Game

00:00
The Demons have won 12 of their last 13 matches against Gold Coast, dating back to Round 1, 2015, by an average winning margin of 41 points.

Quarter 1

00:00
Q1 is now underway.
00:16
Melbourne wins the first centre clearance of the match. Both teams rank among the top three teams with the best centre clearance differential this season.
01:06
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Brayden Fiorini)
02:59
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)
05:03
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)
05:13
Ben Long converts the first goal of the match, with it being launched from the attacking midfield. The SUNS launched 30.8 points from this zone on average - ranked second.
07:36
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
08:14
Gold Coast has had all the territory thus far, having six of the first seven entries as well as having 75% of the term spent in their forward half. Despite this field dominance, they have struggled to convert in front of goal, scoring just 1.3 (9).
09:20
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
10:16
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben King)
13:08
Ben King has been targeted a game-high five times inside 50 (no one else has had more than one target), and has taken two marks in this zone for a return of 0.2 (2). On average, Ben King is the third most targeted player inside 50, and Gold Coast has the highest team goal percentage when he is targeted (compared to the top 10 most targeted players in the league).
14:00
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Joel Jeffrey)
17:09
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
18:33
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Sam Clohesy)
19:53
The Demons have won the inside 50 count in 12 matches – the most by any team. They have won 41.7% of these matches – ranked 15th. They currently trail the inside 50 ledger 17-5.
20:26
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
23:03
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
23:24
After laying the tackle to win the clearance, Bailey Humphrey gets on the end of it to kick the first centre clearance goal of the match. The Suns generated 34 points from centre bounce clearances last round – their fourth-most ever in a game.
24:53
Demons Interchange - Harvey Langford off due to the blood rule.
25:21
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Touk Miller)
25:49
Back to back goals from centre clearance goals for the SUNS. They have conceded 8.5 points per game from centre bounce clearances – ranked No.1 defensively.
28:21
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
30:13
The Demons couldn't buy any territory, having a season-low inside 50 differential of -15 and just 23% of the quarter spent in their forward half. The Demons last lost the time in forward half differential in Round 7 against the Tigers. They rank fourth in the AFL in this measure (plus-5:21).

Quarter 2

00:00
Q2 is now underway.
00:59
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Harrison Petty)
01:09
The contrast in pressure applied has been noticeable, with the SUNS registering a pressure factor of 206 compared to the Demons' 161. The AFL average is 179.
02:53
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Harrison Petty)
04:18
Harrison Petty slots through Melbourne's first goal of the match. This goal was launched from a stoppage, which the Demons ranked sixth for scoring differential since Round 11.
05:31
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ethan Read)
07:38
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
08:14
Steven May has conceded 33 goals this season – the most by any defender in the AFL. His direct opponent, Ben King, scores his first goal of the match.
09:22
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
11:26
Demons Interchange - Harrison Petty and is possibly out for the game.
12:49
John Noble has been lively, collecting game-highs with 16 disposals and seven contested possessions, as well as 297 metres gained and three clearances.
15:42
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
16:09
Melbourne has improved upon their first quarter efforts, leading the inside 50 count 5-4 for the term as well as scoring from 80% of their entries.
19:53
SUNS Interchange - Touk Miller off due to the blood rule.
20:00
Demons Interchange - Clayton Oliver off due to the blood rule.
20:45
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Long)
21:09
The SUNS have been potent from their attacking midfield, with 34 of their 50 points being launched from this zone. 34.8% of their scores this season have been launched from this zone - the second-highest portion in the AFL.
22:46
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Max Gawn)
23:10
Max Gawn finishes his work after taking a contested mark inside 50. He has taken the most contested marks out of anyone this season.
24:31
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
25:56
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
27:14
Melbourne has recorded a shot at goal accuracy of 40% so far. They are averaging 41.1% this year – ranked last.
29:08
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
31:23
The SUNS normally take 11.2 marks inside 50 on average. They have already taken 10 and scored 3.5 (23) from such marks this afternoon.
32:42
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
35:34
Gold Coast were able to win the contested possessions by four, but didn't have the same outside dominance that they had in the first term, breaking even for uncontested possessions in the second quarter.

Quarter 3

00:00
Q3 is now underway.
01:23
It has been an even battle in the ruck between Jarrod Witts and Max Gawn, with the hitouts and hitouts-to-advantage being even, although the SUNS are leading the clearances by five and have scored one more goal from clearance whilst these two have been ruck opponents.
01:58
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
03:29
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ben Long)
04:45
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
06:06
Noah Anderson has had just 11 disposals and two clearances so far. He became the second-ever player to have 40-plus disposals, 15-plus contested possessions, 15-plus score involvements, and 2-plus goals in a game last round. The only other player is Dustin Martin in Round 17, 2017.
06:42
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ethan Read)
09:57
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Jed Walter)
10:40
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Bailey Humphrey)
10:56
The SUNS have been dominant in getting set shot opportunities inside 50, but haven't reaped the full benefits of these opportunities as they have scored 8.7 (55). Since Round 11, they have had a set shot accuracy of 39.2% - ranked third-last.
12:30
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
13:08
Demons Interchange - Clayton Oliver off due to the blood rule.
13:47
SUNS Interchange - Bailey Humphrey off due to the blood rule.
15:07
Matt Rowell has gone to work in the contest, amassing an equal game-high 20 disposals, as well as game-highs with nine clearances and 15 contested possessions. He had 36 disposals, 19 contested possessions, and 13 clearances when these teams met in Round 3.
16:09
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
17:02
Two goals from attacking midfield clearances this quarter for the Demons close the margin to 31 points. They average 3.0 points from this source this season - ranked 17th.
19:28
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben Ainsworth)
21:03
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Connor Budarick)
21:22
The goals are flooding in for the SUNS. They have scored from 36% of their chains this afternoon - a massive contrast to Melbourne's 17%.
23:07
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
26:29
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Christian Petracca)
27:29
Christian Petracca has given his all for the Demons, collecting a game-high 25 disposals, of which 11 were won in a contested manner, five clearances and 15 pressure acts.
32:20
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Matthew Jefferson)
32:58
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Jed Walter)
34:39
The Demons yet again broke even in the inside 50 ledger but weren't able to maximise their chances, scoring a goal from 15% of their entries compared to 46% from the SUNS in the third quarter.

Quarter 4

00:00
Q4 is now underway.
00:51
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
01:00
Since Round 12, Gold Coast has lost the forward 50 groundball-gets by 11.3 per game – ranked last. They are currently only down in this ledger by one.
02:18
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Ethan Read)
03:52
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Matthew Jefferson)
04:03
The SUNS have won 33% of all one-on-one contests, whilst the Demons have only won 22%. Gold Coast are also on top in the contested mark ledger 14-4.
05:38
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
09:56
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Jake Melksham)
10:38
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
10:41
Melbourne has been able to regain some field dominance, leading the inside 50s 7-2 and has had 56% of the term spent in their forward half.
12:52
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
13:13
Jake Melksham has been the key pillar inside 50 for Melbourne this afternoon, scoring 4.5 (29) as well as taking five forward 50 marks from 11 targets.
15:55
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
18:10
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Bayley Fritsch)
18:33
Despite being down six for the game, the Demons are leading the post-clearance contested possession by five for the quarter as they continue to claw back the margin.
19:27
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Kysaiah Pickett)
21:22
Melbourne has been pushing hard to get back into this game, kicking the last four goals of the match and leading the inside 50s 13-7 for the term. Margin down to 19 points.
24:15
Demons Interchange - Daniel Turner off due to an injury.
24:18
SCORE GOAL - SUNS (Ben King)
24:33
The SUNS have had nine individual goal kickers in this match - their equal most in the last four weeks.
26:06
SCORE BEHIND - SUNS (Rushed)
27:03
A huge last quarter effort from Kysaiah Pickett, collecting a quarter-high 11 disposals, 292 metres gained and two goals.
27:25
SCORE GOAL - Demons (Jake Melksham)
29:03
SCORE BEHIND - Demons (Harry Sharp)
29:32
Gold Coast break a run of losses with a 19-point win over the Demons to put themselves back in the top eight. They were deadly from attacking midfield chains, scoring 8.5 (53) from this source. They were able to have forward half dominance, having seven more entries and 10 more intercepts in this zone.