GOLD Coast has completed its perfect 10 in Darwin, holding off Yartapuulti to win by 25 points on Friday night and continue an unbeaten five seasons in the Top End.

The Power trailed by 40 points midway through the final quarter, but momentarily breathed life into the contest with three quick goals before the Suns steadied courtesy of Jed Walter’s third major to win 15.8 (98) to 10.13 (73).

SUNS v POWER Full match coverage and stats

For Damien Hardwick’s team, it was their seventh win of the season, moving them into the top four, and 10th from 10 matches at TIO Stadium since taking home games north in 2022.

The victory was more meritorious given they played the second half minus Lachie Weller (hamstring) and Will Graham (concussion) in the typically stifling conditions.

Captain Noah Anderson was fabulous, back to his ball-hunting best with 33 disposals that included eight clearances.

He not only won the ball at the source, but was the ideal link player between Gold Coast’s superb defensive unit and its lively forward line.

Brownlow medallist Matt Rowell (23 and six clearances) was strong on return from an ankle injury, but for the third straight week it was the back seven that caught the eye.

Sam Collins was a brute in minimising the influence of Mitch Georgiades, while Mac Andrew continued his fine form, as did Bodhi Uwland and John Noble, who both finished with 31 disposals and a goal.

After relinquishing the lead midway through the second quarter, Gold Coast put the foot down with five quick goals before half-time to blow the game open.

Walter and ruckman Ned Moyle (three goals apiece) were strong forward targets on a night when Coleman Medal leader Ben King was restricted to just a solitary major.

The Power played in bursts, opening the second term with three quick goals to snatch the lead, but often faded in the dying stages of quarters.

Zak Butters (35) was his usual prolific self, while Jase Burgoyne (28), Joe Berry (19 and two goals) and Joe Richards (3.2 from 15 touches) were also strong contributors.

Both teams set a cracking pace in the early going, and although it wasn’t always the slickest footy, it was highly entertaining.

Ewan Mackinlay kicked a stunning early goal when he beat Noble to a contested ball, shrugged off Rowell, took two bounces and banged home a long-range goal from close to 50m.

Gold Coast steadied with some wonderful play from two of its youngest players.

Leo Lombard curled through a wonderful right foot snap and then kicked a 50m bullet on to the chest for a King goal, before Lachie Gulbin finished the quarter with a superb snap from the left forward pocket.

The Power’s fleet-footed forwards turned the game after quarter-time, with Berry, Corey Durdin, Mackinlay and Richards all kicking truly to give them the lead.

The Suns lost Weller and Graham to injury, but it seemed to spark them into action, piling on five unanswered goals to take a 27-point lead to half-time.

Gold Coast’s perfect 10
When Gold Coast first took home games to Darwin in 2022 courtesy of an agreement with the Northern Territory government, not in its wildest dreams could they have envisaged the success they’d have. The win over the Power made it a perfect 10 from 10 across the five seasons, with so many highlights along the way. The Suns have had a lot of blowout victories, and a few nailbiters (tight wins over the Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn last year spring to mind), and overall, it’s been a raging success. Will they be back in 2027? Negotiations are ongoing.

Injury concerns for the Suns
As if two games within six days in Darwin’s heat and humidity is not physically tough enough, Gold Coast had to play the second half two men down. Lachie Weller was ruled out early in the second quarter with a hamstring injury, while later in the term Will Graham came off with concussion after a huge collision. Graham and Aliir Aliir were approaching a loose ball from opposite directions at full speed, and although they contacted shoulder to shoulder, there also appeared to be head-to-head contact, with Graham coming off worse for wear and failing his head injury assessment.

Quiet nights for the big forwards
Playing at opposite ends of the ground, one of the intriguing battles going into the night was which forward would have the bigger impact, Ben King or Mitch Georgiades? The answer ended up being neither. With the hot and humid conditions turning the ball into a virtual cake of soap for most of the night, the two stars struggled to impact. King, who leads the Coleman Medal race through nine rounds, kicked one early goal from six disposals, while Georgiades did likewise, kicking 1.3 from 11 touches.

GOLD COAST     5.2    11.3    14.6    15.8 (98)
YARTAPUULTI    2.4    6.6    7.8    10.13 (73)
 
GOALS
Gold Coast: Moyle 3, Walter 3, Z.Uwland, B.Uwland, Petracca, Noble, Lombard, King, Jeffrey, Gulbin, Graham
Yartapuulti: Richards 3, Mackinlay 2, Berry 2, Georgiades, Farrell, Durdin
 
BEST
Gold Coast: Anderson, Collins, Noble, Andrew, Rowell, B.Uwland, Moyle
Yartapuulti: Butters, Burgoyne, Berry, Drew, Richards, Ratugolea, 
 
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Weller (hamstring), Graham (concussion)
Yartapuulti: Jones (concussion)
 
LATE CHANGES
Gold Coast: Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (ankle) replaced by Jarrod Witts
Yartapuulti: Nil
 
Crowd: TBC at TIO Stadium