The Gold Coast Suns will be hoping to continue their undefeated run in Darwin when they host Hawthorn on Thursday night.
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After a quick five-goal start, only Hawk Nick Watson’s magic from the boundary was able to break the Gold Coast’s momentum.
But they didn’t have it al their own way in the first term as coach Damien Hardwick was left clearly frustrated in the box with a tech issue.
Hardwick could be seen gesturing wildly in the box before he was handed a mobile phone in the opening term.
Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph says Hardwick was permitted to use the phone mid-match due to a communications issue at TIO Stadium.
Under AFL integrity rules, only a select group of team staff are permitted to use mobile phones during games.
“The AFL says Gold Coast only lost communications briefly which saw Damien Hardwick using a permitted mobile phone to speak to the bench but the power and communication has been restored for the Suns,” Ralph said.
It’s not the first time an AFL coach has been left without avenue to instruct players after both Essendon and Collingwood endured a power outage during heavy rain at the MCG on Anzac Day.
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The Suns (6-2, 135.7 per cent) have enjoyed a strong start to the 2025 season under Damien Hardwick and are well-poised to make a run at a maiden finals appearance.
Hawthorn (7-2, 128.7 per cent) have also started their season strongly, but tonight’s clash is the first of a tricky run of fixtures which will give us a true indication of their premiership credentials.
In the last meeting between the two sides in Darwin, the Suns prevailed by 67 points. To combat that, Sam Mitchell’s side arrived in Darwin 72 hours before the game this week, an extra day ahead of most travelling sides.
“We certainly learned an enormous amount from last time,” Mitchell said at a press conference this week.
“I didn’t think we handled the conditions, we didn’t handle the intensity around the ball and some on-field things we didn’t handle.
“We feel better prepared, but time will tell.”
There’s been plenty of changes for both teams – Hawthorn swinging five changes from the side that defeated Melbourne by 35 points last week.
Young key forward Calsher Dear will play his first AFL game of 2025 after overcoming a back injury, while Jack Scrimshaw, Cam Mackenzie and Tom Barrass return in a big boost for Mitchell’s side. Ruck Ned Reeves replaces a managed Lloyd Meek, in what is his just his fifth AFL match since the end of 2023.
Jarman Impey won’t play due to personal reasons, while veteran forward Jack Gunston has been managed. Luke Breust will miss up to a fortnight with a back problem and midfielder Henry Hustwaite has been dropped.
For the Suns, ruck Ned Moyle and veteran David Swallow have been named, with Jake Rogers (ankle) and Will Graham (shoulder) both out due to injury.
The Suns and Hawks will kick off Sir Doug Nicholls Round from 7:30pm AEST.