THERE was an assuredness and maturity that rose from the pack in Gold Coast’s Round 6 performance against Richmond.

An altogether entertaining game of footy played under perfect conditions at the de facto home of the AFLW (Ikon Park) was nevertheless marked by some ‘almost’ narratives by both teams who look set to figure in the equation for the bottom half of finals.

For the home side (as hard as the venue may still be to swallow for die-hard Punt Road faithful) a paint by-numbers ‘Monique Conti Show’ outing offered highlights that the number four alone seems able to conjure for the Tigers. Aided by Grace Egan and Kate Dempsey, when Richmond escaped the confines of its backline it looked deadly – until it didn’t.

On several occasions the fat side of the ground was pocked by sashed jumpers with arms waving and voices hollering only for the prime movers to kick long and direct to one of Katie Brennan or more-often Caitlin Greiser. Unfortunately for the pair, Suns defenders filled holes like putty and none were more effective than former Roo Vivien Saad. With an equal game-high five marks alongside 14 disposals, Saad’s game may not have been perfect, but it was the perfect foil to a wayward G-Train, whose rationed shots at goal delivered just a single major score.

Just as superlatives run freely for Conti, so too do they cascade for Charlie Rowbottom. While not her best outing, Rowbottom’s game was still sublime and her ability to punish hesitation, anticipate where to move to and dominate a contest is peerless.

While many more column centimetres are sure to be written on the reigning Club Champion in the coming years, it’s time to pay special attention to Claudia Whitfort. Her second year at Carrara has been nothing short of incredible. Having bested a previous season-high average disposal count by a whopping nine touches per game (25.5 as compared to 16.5 in 2022), the 24-year-old was the difference maker between two very evenly-matched sides.

While Richmond’s shortcoming was in a Sisyphean delivery to the forward line, the Suns’ dangerous run and chained handball through the middle was hamstrung by some silly 50 metre penalties, dropped marks and at-times underwhelming forward presence. Whitfort put paid to some of that with her own head-turning line breaks, link-up play and pace to burn. While Conti has long time partner in crime Brennan leading her way, the Suns just might have their own dynamic duo in Rowbottom and Whitfort.

It is perhaps easy to detail Richmond’s deficiencies from the media box – they are crying out for a couple of Hoskings and the absence of Gabrielle Seymour was noticeable – and if not for an ice-veined Tara Bohanna behind at the death would have shared the points.

As for the Suns, they now sit comfortably in fifth and shone in a very even showing (14 of their players chalked up double-digit possession numbers) scattered with highlights like Georgia Clayden’s first ever league goal: a box office read, gather and kick on the run in traffic that was emblematic of a Gold Coast side ready to take the next step.