Matt Rowell has powered Gold Coast to a nerve-rattling six-point defeat of Collingwood that pushed the Suns closer to a maiden AFL finals berth.
The Suns led by as many as 39 points on Friday and denied the Magpies, who kicked 10 straight behinds to begin the game, a major until midway through the third term.
But the ladder-leaders inevitably surged, leading by three points before the hosts through Rowell and skipper Noah Anderson’s decisive late goal in a 10.9 (69) to 8.15 (63) win.
Rowell (32 touches, two goals, 13 tackles, 12 clearances) was monumental in a ding-dong battle with Josh Daicos (32 touches, two goals) in front of 22,831 in the club’s first Friday night prime time fixture.
The hosts did lose Touk Miller (hamstring) in the second term ahead of a tough two-game stretch against Adelaide and Brisbane.
But at 11-5, and fifth on the live ladder, they now likely need just three wins from their last seven fixtures to play finals for the first time in their 15-year history.
“We played an outstanding first half, then Collingwood flipped the switch and all of a sudden we looked like witches hats,” a relieved Suns coach Damien Hardwick said.
“We talk about a Suns team that fights and scraps and refuses to be beaten and I reckon they showed that again today.
“We got headed but what it did was spark us into playing again.”
Jeremy Howe (groin) was a casualty for the Magpies, who dropped to 14-3.
The hosts began with a Rowell goal and took control early in the second term to finally capitalise after a two-major opening quarter to open up a 39-point lead.
Four Magpies’ behinds capped the quarter, the visitors subbing out Howe (groin) for Scott Pendlebury at the break as they plotted a revival.
Their yips escalated though, Pendlebury and Jack Crisp both unable to add to the tally with gettable shots.
Rowell earned another free kick and goaled as Nick Daicos, playing on from a free kick, missed again at the other end.
Finally, 15 minutes into the third quarter, Tim Membrey had the Magpies’ first goal and the margin was 33 points.
Jamie Elliott (three goals) followed before Membrey, after a golden Suns chance went begging, added a second and it was a 21-point game approaching the final break.
The Suns’ steadier came through Sam Clohsey, Daniel Rioli triggering a chain down the right flank to calm some nerves.
But their 28-point lead was cut into with a Josh Daicos major, set up by Pendlebury, to begin the fourth.
Surging behind the first six inside 50s of the final term, Elliott snapped a second and the Suns were ahead by just 16.
Josh Daicos won a free kick and reduced the margin to 10.
The Suns dodged a bullet when Dan McStay marked in front only to hook his attempt, but the ball came straight back and Lachie Schultz made no mistake.
Gold Coast’s cries for a holding the ball free kick were ignored and Elliott sunk a dagger in with the go-ahead goal seconds later.
Ben Long, with 10 minutes to play, put the Suns back up by three with a snapped set shot.
Anderson (32 disposals) then finished his own work from the bounce with a stoic captain’s goal as the hosts were suddenly back in control.
The final three minutes were manic, Steel Sidebottom spilling a diving attempt to mark for what would have been a match-tying goal for their last genuine chance.
John Noble had 30 touches against his former team while Mac Andrew defended stoutly after copping criticism in recent weeks.
Magpies coach Craig McRae credited the Suns’ contested work and lamented his side’s early inaccuracy and then ill-discipline at the centre bounce once they’d clawed back the lead.
“Geez, we took a long time to kick a goal,” he said.
“We gave ourselves enough chances to win this game tonight, got ourselves in a bit of a hole because we allowed the opposition to play to their strengths and we didn’t execute ours.”
