Amid the multitude of no-nonsense messages for the Gold Coast SUNS in Saturday night’s 99-point loss to Hawthorn at Metricon Stadium was one over-riding message ... that marks inside the forward 50m zone are critical to the club’s success.

It’s been an ongoing trend from the birth of the club, and has been directly linked to the club’s win rate. Likewise, contested possessions.

In 2011 they took more inside 50 marks than their opposition just once, and took 30% of total marks inside 50 marks taken in their 22 matches.

In 2012 they took more inside 50 marks than their opposition five times, and took 40% of total marks taken in their 22 matches.

Last year these numbers jumped to 10 ‘wins’ for marks inside 50, and an overall count of 46%.

This year the correlation between marks inside forward 50 and wins has been precise.

They took more inside 50 marks than Richmond and Brisbane in Rounds 1 and 3 and beat both. And they’ve been out-marked inside forward 50 by Fremantle and Hawthorn in Rounds 2 and 4 and lost both.

On Saturday night it was 3-10 for marks inside 50 against the SUNS after the corresponding statistics in the first three rounds were 11-9, 3-9 and 8-5.

This year there’s been a similarly exact correlation with contested possessions. When the SUNS win the contested ball overall they win the game.

In Round 1 against Richmond it was 156-150 to the SUNS. They won.

In Round 2 against Fremantle it was 169-183 against the SUNS. They lost,

In Round 3 against Brisbane it was 171-136 to the SUNS. They won.

And in Round 4 against Hawthorn it was 144-175 against the SUNS. And they lost.

Not surprisingly, there weren’t a lot of statistical highpoints on Saturday night as the SUNS’ milestone curse struck again when Michael Rischitelli became the 10^th player to post 50 games for the club.

Like Gary Ablett, Jared Brennan, Jarrod Harbrow, Trent McKenzie, Matt Shaw, Harley Bennell and Dion Prestia before him, he had to be content with a loss.

Only Matt Shaw, Danny Stanley and David Swallow have had a win in their 50^th game.

Ablett continued his astonishing record of consistency against Hawthorn, collecting 35 possessions to go with previous hauls against the Hawks of 34, 43, 43 and 37. He now averages 38.4 possessions for the SUNS against the 2013 premiers.

Dion Prestia and David Swallow, each with 27 possessions on Saturday night, were the SUNS’ other statistical standouts, and after four rounds they are second and third on the club list behind Ablett.

The possession count leaderboard shows Ablett (138) on top from Prestia (113), Swallow (107), Rischitelli (89), Harbrow (80), Jaeger O’Meara (79), Trent McKenzie (77) and Danny Stanley (70).

First-year player Kade Kolodjashnij averages 20 possessions per game from his three, with only Ablett (34.5), Prestia (28.3), Swallow (26.8) and Rischitelli (22.3) averaging more.

After four rounds Sam Day leads the SUNS’ goal-kicking with eight, followed by Ablett (6), Tom Lynch (5), and Brandon Matera and Swallow (4).

In other notable if not entirely palatable statistics to come out of Saturday night:

• The SUNS 99-point loss was theír fifth-worst all-time and their worst all-time at Metricon Stadium.
• The Hawthorn total of 148 points was eighth highest all-time against the SUNS, and the highest at Metricon.
• The SUNS’49-point score was their equal 10^th-lowest all-time and equal third-lowest at Metricon.
• The SUNS’ nine-point second half score was their third-lowest all-time for a half and lowest at Metricon.
• The SUNS’ game total of 14 scoring shots was equal third lowest all-time and lowest at Metricon.
• It was the sixth time in club history the SUNS failed to have a multiple goal-kicker.
• Still, the SUNS have never previously had two wins after four rounds and have never previously been as high as 11^th at Round 4. And with upcoming games against Melbourne and the GWS Giants the opportunity presents itself to add further to the club record books in a positive fashion.