JUST when it looked like the Darwin fortress would be infiltrated, Gold Coast found something in the final quarter to edge Hawthorn by eight points in a thrilling opener to Sir Doug Nicholls Round on Thursday night.
On a rollercoaster evening at TIO Stadium, the Suns led by 32 points during the second quarter, were headed at the final change, then kicked five goals in the fourth quarter to win 16.8 (104) to 15.6 (96).
SUNS V HAWKS Full match coverage and stats
In Touk Miller's 200th game, it was the eighth consecutive win for the Suns at their Top End fortress since bringing home games north in 2022.
This was anything but easy.
After exploding out of the blocks to set up the big lead, the Suns had to withstand a Nick Watson-inspired Hawks comeback to get the job done.
Watson kicked three goals in the opening half to give his team life, before the Hawks completely dominated the contest in the third term to take a three-point lead into the last.
But this Suns team is different. Led by skipper Noah Anderson's 35 disposals that included 12 clearances and a goal, they refused to wilt, moving to a 7-2 win-loss record and becoming entrenched in the top four.
Ben Long kicked four goals and took a third-quarter hanger in front of his home fans, while John Noble gained 1001m from his 36 disposals.
Miller was also influential in his milestone game, kicking two goals from 22 touches. Sam Collins and Wil Powell were exceptional in defence.
The Hawks will lose no admirers from the match, with Jai Newcombe (29) jumping on the Wizard's coat-tails to bring the Hawks back into the contest.
Gold Coast wasted no time putting an early gap in the scores, kicking five consecutive goals in the opening term to race to a 20-point advantage.
Miller got the surge going with a long-range set shot in his milestone game before Bailey Humphrey showed why there's so much excitement about his future with a brilliant running goal from 50m.
Jed Walter provided an aerial highlight, climbing on to James Sicily's shoulders to haul in a memorable mark, before Watson added his own piece of wizardry with an exquisite drop punt from the right forward pocket.
Gold Coast got out to a 32-point advantage on multiple occasions in the second term, but Watson almost single-handedly kept the Hawks in its with his flashes of genius.
A contested mark and goal, quickly followed up by a tackle on Joel Jeffrey and 50m bomb off two steps and suddenly the Hawks were firing.
When Jack Ginnivan added his name to the goalkickers list the deficit was just 14 points and the largely brown and gold crowd found its voice.
The Hawks overwhelmed their opponents around the contest and at ground level in the third quarter, cashing in with five goals to two to take the lead before the final quarter.
The Wizard's bag of tricks
With his team floundering under a wave of Suns dominance in the first half, Nick Watson almost single-handedly lifted his team back into the contest. A brilliant set shot from the right forward pocket gave them life late in the first quarter before two more moments of genius in the second kept the scores close. He worked Wil Powell under a long ball to dive backwards and take a mark that led to his second goal and then pinned Joel Jeffrey with a holding the ball, quickly rose to his feet and banged the 50m kick right through the sticks. His energy was infectious and Watson's teammates then jumped on.
Long and Walter both take hangers
It was Jed Walter in the opening quarter climbing on to James Sicily's back to bring down a skyscraping mark and then it was Ben Long's turn in the third to use the poor old Hawks skipper as a stepladder and submit his own Mark of the Year contender. Although both moments were spectacular, both players were unable to convert their set shots.
GOLD COAST 5.2 9.4 11.6 16.8 (104)
HAWTHORN 2.0 7.2 12.3 15.6 (96)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Long 4, King 2, Ainsworth 2, Miller 2, Swallow, Rosas jnr, Humphrey, Flanders, Clohesy, Anderson
Hawthorn: Watson 3, Hardwick 3, Chol 3, Ginnivan 2, Newcombe, Morrison, Moore, Amon
BEST
Gold Coast: Anderson, Noble, Collins, Miller, Rowell, Long, Powell
Hawthorn: Newcombe, Watson, Weddle, Hardwick, Barrass, Amon
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Hawthorn: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: David Swallow (replaced Ned Moyle during the third quarter)
Hawthorn: Bailey Macdonald (replaced Calsher Dear during the third quarter)
Crowd: 12,314 at TIO Stadium