A stunning star turn from Daisy D'Arcy has spurred Gold Coast to a thrilling three-point win against Yartapuulti, the Suns grinding out their second win of the season in difficult conditions at Alberton Oval. 

Strong blustery winds affected the contest throughout, but D’Arcy’s class shone through with a career-high 33 possessions, as her side restricted the Power to just one goal.

POWER v SUNS Full match coverage and stats

Yartapuulti’s return of just 1.8 was the fifth-lowest score in club history as it slipped to a 2-2 record.

Gold Coast hit the lead for the first time late in the third quarter and hung on grimly in a tense final term with neither side able to muster a goal.

The Power was able to launch a last-ditch bid to snatch the win, but the young Suns showed impressive grit to dig deep, repel the attack and maintain possession until the final siren sounded.

The three leading possession winners on the ground were Gold Coast players, with the visitors dominating the disposal count 251-208.

The swirling winds made conditions difficult for both teams, but it should have benefited the Suns in the first quarter.

Instead, it was Yartapuulti that dominated the inside 50 count, going inside the attacking arc 11 times to the visitors' one in the early going.

But the home side couldn’t capitalise until Gemma Houghton marked strongly on the lead, with the three-time club leading goalkicker making no mistake.

Sunny Lappin used the wind to perfection minutes later, bouncing home a superb running goal from just inside the 50m arc to cut the Power’s lead to a point at the first break.

Those would be the only goals scored in the first half as the wind swung more across the ground in the second quarter, wreaking havoc with the skill execution of both sides.

Heavy rain to start the second half didn’t help proceedings, with Yartapuulti’s goal drought continuing, while Havana Harris slotted the only goal of the quarter to put her side up by three points at three-quarter time.

Sachi Syme had been a key contributor for the Power, but the veteran left the game late in the third term with hamstring tightness.

Havana Harris’ huge highlight
In a game short on highlights, Havana Harris provided a ripper with a cracking goal in the third term. Matched up against dominant Power ruck Matilda Scholz at a throw-in from the pocket, Harris outmuscled her star opponent, deftly gathered the loose ball and slotted a brilliant goal in traffic.

50 powerful games for Ebony
After stints with GWS and Collingwood, Ebony O’Dea found her footy home when she joined the Power in 2022. The tough defender played her 50th game for the club and she was influential with 14 possessions.

Up next
The Power kicks off the action on Sunday 13 September, taking on Melbourne at Casey Fields in the early game at 12:35pm AEST, while the Suns will host Collingwood at People First Stadium two hours later at 2:35pm AEST.

YARTAPUULTI 1.3 1.4   1.7   1.8     (14)
GOLD COAST     1.2 1.2   2.4   2.5   (17)

GOALS
Yartapuulti: Houghton
Gold Coast: Lappin, Harris

BEST
Yartapuulti: Scholz, Moloney, Goody, O’Dea, Dowrick, Heads
Gold Coast: D’Arcy, Rowbottom, Mclaughlin, Hatchard, Mithen, Single

 INJURIES
Yartapuulti: Syme (hamstring)
Gold Coast: Nil

LATE CHANGES
Yartapuulti: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil

Reports: Nil

Crowd: 2,281 at Alberton Oval