Not for the first time, Mac Andrew was the hero for Gold Coast
Mac Andrew celebrates match-winning moments in games against Adelaide, Essendon and Fremantle. Pictures: AFL Photos
MAC Andrew added another chapter to his reputation as Gold Coast’s ‘Mr Clutch’ on Saturday night.
Not for the first time in his young career, the rangy defender answered the call when the Suns needed it most in their epic elimination final win over Fremantle.
Trailing by a goal with two minutes remaining, the 22-year-old followed direct opponent Josh Treacy into Gold Coast’s forward line, after the Docker headed back to shore up his team’s defence in an attempt to preserve the lead.
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What happened next will go down in Suns history.
After Bodhi Uwland took a towering intercept mark on centre wing and pumped the ball back inside 50, Andrew loomed large, charging towards the incoming Sherrin and clutching it to his chest.
Usually, a 30m set shot directly in front is close to a gimmie, but this was a chance to level the scores in the dying seconds of Gold Coast’s first ever final in front of 57,500 mostly Fremantle supporters.
“I knew I had to take my moment and remain calm,” Andrew told AFL.com.au in the Suns’ jubilant dressing-room post-match.
“I wasn’t really thinking too much. I took a deep breath and said: ‘this is it’.
“If we wanted a chance, it had to go through. I’m just glad it did.”
Of course, it is not the first time Andrew has played hero; he famously kicked a goal after the siren against Essendon late in 2024 to snatch the club’s first victory on the road – at the 11th attempt – of Damien Hardwick’s tenure.
Earlier this season, it was Andrew again, this time in his defensive post, who got a seemingly impossible spoil in as Riley Thilthorpe looked bound to mark the ball and have a shot for Adelaide to win at People First Stadium.
Andrew loves the big moment. With the Suns trailing, he could barely wait to run to the forward line.
He’d waged an engrossing duel with Treacy all night, a player he greatly respects and “loves watching” – now it was time to reverse the roles.
After getting the nod from the bench, runner Nick Malceski – the former Sydney defender who is no stranger to big goals in big finals – delivered the message for Andrew to swing forward.
“I just kept looking at the bench. I knew we were down and there wasn’t long left, I kept looking over waiting for the nod (to go forward),” he said.
He added with a laugh: “If it had have gone 30 seconds longer, I probably would have run down there myself”.