Gold Coast have taken just two rounds to dispel the doubters who felt the Suns would fail to win an AFL match in 2019.
After missing out by just one point to St Kilda in round one, the Suns overcame a wayward goalless third term to defeat Fremantle by three points at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.
The victory, sealed with a late goal by captain David Swallow, ends a 10-game losing streak at their home ground stretching back to 2017.
It may not prevent Stuart Dew’s team from winding up with an expected wooden spoon this season, but shows that underestimating the Suns will be a dangerous practice for their opponents.
“People said we wouldn’t win a game but for them, they’ve gone to task over the summer and you’ve got to give yourself 12-24 hours to just enjoy the moment,” Dew said.
“If you take that for granted, what are we here for?
“It’s a game and we want to compete and win for our members and fans, so hope we’ve done that.”
Most impressive for the Suns was the way they closed out the game after Swallow’s goal.
With over three minutes left in the match, the Suns held the Dockers at bay with ex-Fremantle defender Sam Collins’ defensive mark a defining moment.
“It’s the worst time to be a coach I think,” Dew said.
“When you’re just in front and there’s three minutes to go. You make a lot of noise and it does nothing because you can’t do anything.
“Some key moments – Sammy Collins, I was happy for him against his old club, to take that mark – just little moments like that that are nice for the players and the memory bank.”