Where the Suns do shine: Gold Coast keep unbeaten streak in home matches intact
Ben Long said all the things football players are taught to say after all but winning the game for the Suns against Collingwood on Saturday – not taking credit for the goal that put his team back in front, crediting his teammates, the opposition, anybody but himself.
The closest he came was this: “It was good to get a sneaky sausage to win the game” – but even that was prefaced by a nod to the Suns’ backline and midfield for getting the ball to him in the first place.
That is fair enough. But Long’s split-watermelon grin told a bigger truth. After a year in and out of the side, looking lost in defence under Stuart Dew, Long’s return to a pressure forward role has reaped deep dividends both for Long and his club.
He is enjoying his footy, and it showed.
Long’s two goals, and a final assist to Ben Ainsworth that sealed the result, were critical to the Suns’ win that came after Collingwood stormed back from a 32-point deficit late in the third term. But so too were bone-jarring bumps on Billy Frampton and Josh Daicos that physically rattled the Magpies.
Enjoying your footy: Gold Coast’s Ben Long.
Long is not a big man, but he played with presence, and a dare that could have deserted the Suns as the Magpies came charging home. “(It’s an) awesome feeling,” Long said. “Got a bit nervous there in the last few minutes, but the tables turned and we took our chances.”
Had coach Damian Hardwick warned them what was to come? “We knew in that second half they were being more aggressive with the footy,” Long said. “So we just had that in the back of our mind, of being more defensive, but still playing our way, which got us over the line.
“I guess he just told us to stick to our game plan, which holds up on the day. They were trying to win the game and go really aggressive from the backline, but we held up strong.
“Our backs were awesome all day, and especially our mids – giving us forwards good service. It was good to get a sneaky sausage to win the game, and give another one away.”
Long is one of several players to have had a career rebirth under Hardwick; Tom Berry, Alex Sexton and even original Suns signing Sam Day are others. They are role players, but Hardwick saw strengths where others saw fatal flaws.
Long has seized what might have been his last chance. “I guess it’s just an attitude of attacking whatever comes, and every opportunity you get. I think I’ve been playing some good footy, I’m still looking to learn, especially off the other forwards. I’m feeling good.”
Craig McRae’s men mounted their latest comeback, kicking the next six goals after being down by more than five late in the third to lead by one point with just four minutes to play.
The Magpies had come from 54 points behind to beat North Melbourne in their last game.
But the Suns weren’t about to become another statistic for the defending premiers.
In front of a sell-out 23,029 strong crowd, Bodhi Uwland broke a tackle and Long bombed a goal before Ainsworth added another.
Three minutes still remained but some brave Suns defence, led by ruckman Jarrod Witts despite copping a knock to the back, ensured there would be no Magpie miracle, and that Gold Coast would remain unbeaten in home matches this year.
With AAP