Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew says the Suns’ moment of truth could be upon them after knocking off Hawthorn to again sit on the cusp of the AFL’s top eight.
Fresh off a horror thumping from Carlton last week, things looked dire when the Hawks booted the first three goals.
But it was one-way traffic once Ben Ainsworth eventually got the Suns on the board in a 14.17 (101) to 5.4 (34) win at Heritage Bank Stadium on Sunday.
It was a crash back to earth for the usually plucky Hawks (4-10), who registered their lowest score since 2020 – two weeks after upsetting Brisbane.
Victory improved the Suns to 7-7 and just outside the eight on percentage ahead of Saturday’s home game against ladder leaders Collingwood (12-2).
They face Port Adelaide (12-2) a week later, in what looms as a massive fortnight for a club without a finals appearance since its AFL inception in 2011.
“We’ll get some information won’t we?,” Dew said of the looming Magpies challenge.
“Anytime you can play the best as a measuring stick and see where we stack up.
“They’re clearly potent but we want to make sure we play our brand as well and test that.”
That ambition was looking shaky as the sun set in Carrara on Sunday until the Suns kicked four straight goals to lead by 10 points at halftime.
A quick-fire Ben King double cancelled out Luke Breust’s goal to begin the second half and broke the game open.
When Noah Anderson (28 disposals, two goals) and Matt Rowell showed composure with calm handballs to set up David Swallow it was a 30-point game and the Suns finally had the margin that reflected their territorial dominance.
That superiority came when the Suns, beaten to the punch early in the game, lifted their defensive intensity to lock the Hawks in and force regular turnovers to the relief of the 14,242-strong crowd.
The Suns skipped further ahead in a one-sided final quarter, a Malcolm Rosas clicking his heels to celebrate the second of three final-quarter majors.
“We don’t chalk up anything to an anomaly,” Hawks coach Sam Mitchell said.
“We know there’s going to be steps forward and some will be very, very small.
“At the moment I can’t find too many positives out of today.
“We had won three out of four, feeling like we were moving along pretty well and then today was a reality check.”
Hawthorn had seven free kicks to the Suns’ one late in the first quarter and Mitch Lewis was on-song with two early goals.
But the Suns didn’t panic, Lachie Weller (12 touches) getting involved in his return from injury before being tactically subbed out at three-quarter time.
Recalled veteran Brandon Ellis also booted a goal in his first game since round 10, while Brayden Fiorini (35 touches), Sam Flanders and Ainsworth ensured it wasn’t just the usual suspects carrying the load.
Blake Hardwick had a game-high 38 disposals for Hawthorn, while Jack Scrimshaw (31), Will Day (28) battled hard for Mitchell.
