A WAYWARD Hawthorn has overcome a sluggish start to beat Gold Coast by 53 points in their AFL clash in Launceston.

The Hawks trailed by nine points at quarter-time but did enough to topple the fading Suns in the 13.18 (96) to 5.13 (43) win on Saturday in front of 9007 fans.

HAPPY HAWKS Full match coverage and stats

Hawthorn's third straight victory puts it into the top eight pending other weekend results, while the battling Suns have lost eight in a row.

"We were really pleased with the win in the end. We got jumped a little bit at the start, didn’t start particularly well and Gold Coast did," Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson said.

"We were a little bit flattered with where we were on the scoreboard at quarter-time because Gold Coast were the superior side in the first part of the game but we got cracking a little bit after quarter-time.

"It was a tough game of footy. At no stage was there any real flow in the game."

Both teams sprayed countless set shots throughout the afternoon, including several from in front.

Jack Gunston kicked three and Luke Bruest two for the Hawks, while Liam Shiels finished with a game-high 33 touches.

Despite the final margin, the Suns dominated territory early, with talls Tom Lynch and Peter Wright combining for three opening-term goals.

SUNS' SCORING WOES CONTINUE Five talking points

Gold Coast fell away, though, only scoring 0.5 in the middle quarters, but coach Stuart Dew said his side’s effort had improved and signalled a pleasing response after last weekend’s last-gasp loss to St Kilda.

"When you’re watching the game tonight, watching it back, our boys had a crack today and we were really beaten by some outside class in the end," he said.

"I thought we responded with our contest work, we were able to win the clearances. I think our contest work was much better. Last week we scored more on turnover (and) we just have to marry the two up."

Hawthorn took a 37-24 lead into half-time, punctuated just before the break by a Taylor Duryea screamer.

The Suns rallied somewhat late in the third quarter but squandered their chances, missing three kickable set shots in a row.

Hawthorn edged to a 34-point lead at the end of the third - the highlight of the term being a Paul Puopolo snap.

Hawthorn found their radar in the dying stages, with skipper Jarryd Roughead icing the win with a major from the final kick of the day.

Shaun Burgoyne sat out the last quarter with ice on his hamstring.

MEDICAL ROOM
Hawthorn: Shaun Burgoyne sat out the final quarter amid reports of a hamstring twinge, but Alastair Clarkson suggested his veteran star was rested as a precaution having felt 'tired and sore' after a big few weeks including his 350th game.

Gold Coast Suns: Sam Day left the field in the final quarter clutching his right shoulder and will be sweating on scans early in the week to determine the level of damage he sustained in a defensive marking contest.

NEXT UP
The Hawks travel to Sydney to tackle a resurgent GWS Giants at Spotless Stadium. With both sides knocking on the door to the top eight, it'll be a potential 'eight-point' game under lights on Saturday evening. The Suns also play after dark on Saturday, hosting the Magpies at Metricon and no-doubt hoping to put together a genuine four-quarter performance.

HAWTHORN     2.1   5.7    8.13   13.18 (96)
GOLD COAST SUNS     3.4   3.6    3.9   5.13 (43)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Gunston 3, Breust 2, Howe, Shiels, Puopolo, O’Meara, Burgoyne, Smith, O’Brien, Roughead
Gold Coast: Lynch 2, Wright 2, Sexton

BEST 
Hawthorn:  Shiels, O’Meara, Mitchell, Breust, Impey, Gunston
Gold Coast: Lyons, Swallow, Martin, Harbrow, Miller

INJURIES 
Hawthorn: Burgoyne (hamstring)
Gold Coast: Day (shoulder)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Stevic, Stephens, Gavine, Whetton

Official crowd:  9007 at University of Tasmania Stadium