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St Kilda vs Gold Coast Suns Tips - Saints march in final round as Rowell clocks up AFL Fantasy points for Suns

Adam Cusworth

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Last updated: Tue 18 Aug 2026 01:09

Adam Cusworth 18 Aug 2026

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Saints expected to win final match, celebrating Bradley Hill’s 300th game.
Gold Coast Suns struggling with only one win in last 11 matches.
Matt Rowell continues to excel in AFL Fantasy despite Suns’ form.

Expired

Brad Hill plays his 300th match against the Suns on Thursday (Getty Images)

St Kilda will close off their season with a win over the Gold Coast Suns in the first match of the final round of the season.

Carlton’s Round 23 draw against the Western Bulldogs ended St Kilda’s wildcard hopes, meaning both sides enter the final round playing for pride. The Saints sit 11th on the ladder, while Gold Coast are languishing in 14th, with Bradley Hill’s 300th AFL appearance adding some extra significance to the occasion.

St Kilda should be able to finish their season on a high at Marvel Stadium. The Saints produced an impressive response with a 49-point win over Richmond last weekend and have a 9-1 record against sides below them on the ladder this season. Interestingly, their only defeat in that category came against Gold Coast in Darwin, but the Suns have won just one of their past 11 matches and have a 2-8 record in 2026 outside of the Gold Coast and Darwin.

Bradley Hill will play his 300th match and looks primed for another huge performance. The three-time premiership player collected 41 disposals against Richmond last weekend and has now recorded 30+ in six of his past eight matches, averaging 34 in that period. With the milestone occasion and plenty of freedom to run on the Marvel Stadium deck, Hill can make it seven from nine.

Gold Coast have struggled to turn opportunities into scoreboard pressure, but Matt Rowell continues to do his part through the midfield. The reigning Brownlow Medallist has recorded 28+ disposals in his past four matches, including a career-high 40 disposals, 17 clearances and 16 tackles against GWS two starts ago. Rowell is averaging over 120 AFL Fantasy Points in his past five matches and another big performance in the Round 24 match should be on the cards.

Gold Coast have won just one of their past 11 matches and have a 2-8 record in 2026 outside of the Gold Coast and Darwin.
Bradley Hill comes off 41 disposals last weekend and has had 30+ in six of his past eight matches, averaging 34 in that period.
Matt Rowell has averaged over 120 AFL Fantasy Points in his past five matches
Both sides are playing for pride and cannot make finals.

Head to Head

Gold Coast were 29-point winners in the Round 9 clash this season in Darwin and have won the past two between the two sides.

Standout player performances in the recent head to heads have come from:

Noah Anderson (Suns)- 30+ disposals in his past two matches against the Saints.
Touk Miller (Suns)- 30+ disposals in his past two matches against the Saints.
Ben King (Suns)- eight goals in his past three matches against St Kilda.
Jack Higgins (Saints)- 12 goals in his past four matches against the Suns.

St Kilda Form Analysis

St Kilda head into Round 24 with a 10-12 record after an impressive 49-point win over Richmond at the MCG. They have been particularly reliable against sides below them on the ladder, winning nine of 10 such matches this season, with the only defeat coming against Gold Coast in Darwin. The Saints have a 4-5 record at Marvel Stadium this season.

Bradley Hill was outstanding against Richmond with 41 disposals, while Max Hall collected 40 and Mitch Owens kicked a career-high five goals. Hill has now registered 30+ disposals in six of his past eight matches at an average of 34, while Owens has kicked multiple goals in three of his past four.

Gold Coast have won just one of their past 11 matches, with that victory coming by two points against GWS. The Suns followed it with a 42-point defeat against Brisbane despite winning the inside 50 and clearance counts, with their 6.17 return highlighting their inability to capitalise. Matt Rowell remains in strong individual form and has recorded 28+ disposals in four consecutive matches.

St Kilda Team News

St Kilda reported no new injuries from their win over Richmond. Tom De Koning and Liam Ryan may return for the final game, while Kye Fincher will be considered for his debut after a solid match in the Saints VFL outing last weekend. Liam Henry is another that impressed at the lower level.

Gold Coast Suns Form Analysis

Gold Coast have endured a disappointing second half of the season and enter Round 24 with just one victory from their past 11 matches. Their only success during that run came by two points against GWS, before they fell by 42 points against Brisbane last weekend. Their record away from the Gold Coast and Darwin stands at just 2-8 in 2026.

The Suns have continued to generate opportunities despite their poor results, but converting those chances has been a major problem. They won the inside 50 and clearance counts against Brisbane but kicked 6.17, while similar issues have plagued them throughout their losing run.

Matt Rowell has rediscovered some of his best form late in the season. He had 28 disposals against Brisbane after producing a career-high 40 disposals, 17 clearances and 16 tackles against GWS, and has now reached 28+ disposals in four consecutive matches.

Gold Coast Suns Team News

Sam Collins is the major injury concern for Gold Coast after his troublesome ribs flared again against Brisbane. The key defender had previously missed the win over GWS with the problem and returned against the Lions, only to be forced from the field after three quarters. The Suns reported no other match-day injuries. Jamarra Ugle-Hagan continues his strong form in the VFL but the ship might have sailed for the former No.1 draft pick

Verdict

St Kilda v Gold Coast Suns

Saints to close out season with a win with Hill to find plenty of footy in 300th. Matt Rowell best pop in AFL Fantasy markets.

St Kilda

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One of Australia's top tipsters, Adam provides tips for horse racing every day of the week as well as AFL previews. He is one of the top ranked experts on the Great Tip Off each month and has featured on Blackbook, Punters, Racingbase and many more.

Based in Melbourne, Adam is an avid sporting fan that loves a day at the MCG to follow his team, Hawthorn, in the AFL and the Aussies in the cricket, while he doesn't mind a day out at Moonee Valley, Flemington and Caulfield from time to time.