Gold Coast Suns endured a challenging outing at Optus Stadium on Sunday, managing just 31 points in their 11.14 (80) to 3.11 (29) loss to the league-leading Fremantle Dockers. While not the Suns’ lowest ever AFL score, it marked their lowest total against Fremantle, falling short of the 59 points they posted in round two of 2014. Throughout the match, Gold Coast failed to make a significant impact, unable to approach their previous low against the Dockers, reflecting a stark contrast to their performance at the same venue at the conclusion of the 2025 season. That encounter is still remembered for David Swallick’s late behind which secured a dramatic one-point win for the Suns in the 2025 Elimination Final.
The result deepens the divide between the two teams’ 2026 campaigns. Fremantle recorded their 14th consecutive win, consolidating their dominance, while Gold Coast suffered a fifth straight defeat and now faces an uphill battle to secure a place in the Wildcard round. The Suns’ recent form has cast uncertainty over their finals prospects, underscoring the challenges they face in maintaining competitiveness against top-tier opponents.
In related AFL news, Hawthorn Football Club has confirmed it will not pursue relocating its Tasmanian home games to other interstate venues. The club currently enjoys a four-games-per-season arrangement in Launceston, which is due to conclude at the end of 2027. The arrangement generates approximately $5 million annually for Hawthorn, alongside sponsorship valued at close to $9 million and additional commercial benefits such as signage and corporate box privileges at UTAS Stadium. The club also maintains a substantial Tasmanian membership base, which it aims to sustain despite plans to reduce away games against the local side, the Tasmanian Devils, from 2028 onward.
Hawthorn chief executive Ash Klein stated that while the club is evaluating compensation matters and its future fixture plan beyond 2027, selling games in other locations such as the Northern Territory is not under consideration. “They have got the Suns up there as well now. We are a club that wants to be financially viable and of our own means but I don’t think that’s an option for us,” Klein said. He added that there is growing interest in increasing the number of matches played at Melbourne Cricket Ground and the club is actively exploring those possibilities.