Suns ponder 'what may be' after historic QClash win
The Suns had lost 12 of the past 13 Queensland derbies to the defending premiers.
But on Saturday, with a maiden finals berth on the radar, the hosts called the shots in a 20.10 (130) to 9.10 (64) romp at a wet People First Stadium.
Victory, in front of 20,833 fans, was the Suns' biggest in a QClash, while their 12th win this season is a club-high.
The Suns are sharing the love now 🥰#AFLSunsLions pic.twitter.com/hYHGvxDwxu
— AFL (@AFL) July 26, 2025
It capped a 2-1 run against the competition's top three sides in the past three weeks, wins against Collingwood and the Lions sandwiching last week's Adelaide thrashing.
Sitting seventh and with only one of their last five regular-season games against top-eight opponents, the ball is in the Suns' court.
"I speak about narratives a little bit. To change it you've got to win some games," Suns coach Damien Hardwick said.
"Especially against really good footy clubs, and the last three weeks we've played three of the best.
"What it probably does is instil a bit of confidence in what may be."
Captain Noah Anderson (33 touches, one goal) did the early damage, while ruckman Jarrod Witts dominated, and Hardwick's bold selection calls were vindicated.
Matt Rowell (37 touches, 14 clearances, 12 tackles) won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal, and the recalled Alex Davies (30 touches, 10 tackles) flipped the script on the usually dominant Lions midfield.
Jy Farrar (three goals) enjoyed his first AFL game since late 2023, Ben Long rediscovered his early-season form with four majors, and Bailey Humphrey (three goals, eight tackles) also shone.
Brisbane's Ashcroft brothers Will and Levi were well held, while Lachie Neale, Josh Dunkley and Hugh McCluggage suffered a rare engine-room loss.
The Lions (13-5-1) missed a chance to at least briefly occupy top spot and now face a trip to the MCG to play the Magpies as part of a tough run to September.
"Outside the first 10 minutes … we had a game to forget," Brisbane coach Chris Fagan said of the side that had won their past four games.
"We haven't played as poorly as that in a long, long time.
"Credit for that goes to the Gold Coast Suns. I'm not sitting here saying it was just us.
"They were on and we were off and they capitalised on that."
Brisbane started well with goals to Callum Ah Chee and Neale, before the Suns responded.
Witts set the tone at the bounce, while Davies threw his 193cm frame around and fit-again Sam Collins imposed himself in defence.
The contest was drifting in the second quarter until skipper Anderson again took it by the scruff with a goal and assist inside a minute.
His first drifted over the pack and was toed on the line by Farrar, before he produced a repeat of his Collingwood match-winner a fortnight earlier, streaking from the centre square and nailing a major from 50 metres after a neat one-two.
The Suns' fine kicking continued when Long threaded the needle, creating a 33-point half-time buffer as heavy rain started to fall.
It didn't slow Farrar, who benefited from another clever Witts tap to squeeze through his third goal.
Rowell was running freely in a dominant third term, with Ben Ainsworth and Long's goals swelling the lead beyond 50 points to effectively kill the contest.
Neale still amassed 36 touches, while Cam Rayner kicked three late goals to go with 19 disposals for Brisbane.
Lions utility Conor McKenna (hamstring) will have scans after he was substituted at halftime.
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