1. The class and drive of good mates Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson through the middle of the ground proved irresistible for the Suns. The top two draft selections in 2019 were outstanding around centre clearances and were largely responsible for the Suns inside 50 dominance. They combined for 56 possessions, 26 of them contested, and 13 clearances to provide 13 of their team’s 63 inside 50s.

2. The education of Bailey Williams as a ruckman continued against another of the game’s most accomplished big men, Jarrod Witts. The giant Sun proved a decisive factor and in conjunction with Rowell and Anderson it was a combination the Eagles could not break. Witts had 15 possessions and 48 hit outs opposed to Williams’ six possessions and 32 hit outs as Gold Coast won the clearance battle 41-30.

3. After an even first quarter that saw the Eagles trail by five points after a late Mabior Chol snap, the Suns rattled on eight consecutive goals. The Eagles could probably have led at the first change despite a 6-18 inside 50 count but thereafter Gold Coast were always in control. That dominance was reflected in an ascendancy in forward half possessions at 27-56%.

4. The appetite of rookie Reuben Ginbey for the contest is unquenchable and again he was prominent at the coalface. The exciting youngster, who spent some time opposed to Rowell, filed away a few more mental notes after his 12-possession effort. The young tackling machine did all he could to quell the wave of Gold Coast forward thrusts with a team-high 16 tackles.

5. The Eagles were overwhelmed through the midfield, but Tim Kelly continued his strong start to the season with another hard-working performance. Kelly had 26 possessions, four of them contested, and also applied six tackles. He was involved in winning seven clearances to top the count for the Eagles, ahead of Ginbey (five).