After a disappointing loss to Melbourne in round one, the SUNS once again couldn't get over the line against St Kilda at Metricon stadium on Saturday.
Up against the hungry and energy-packed Saints, the SUNS wilted to slip to a 16.8 (104) to 10.16 (76) loss.
The 28-point defeat was punctuated by a second-quarter display during which the rampant Saints booted eight goals to one.
In a late rally by the SUNS in the final quarter, they booted five straight goals but that put a gloss on an otherwise disappointing display.
Josh Bruce was sensational for the visitors, marking everything that came his way and kicking a career-high six goals, including four in the second term.
Ahmed Saad, who hadn't kicked a goal in nearly two years following a suspension for performance-enhancing drug use, booted two in the first half while the inspirational Bruce set up Jack Sinclair for the first goal of his career.
Sinclair ended the match with two goals as did skipper Nick Riewoldt, while returning forward Tom Lynch booted three majors in an up-and-down display and midfielder Dion Prestia had two goals.
As good as the Saints were, the SUNS were largely architects of their own downfall.
The hosts conceded four 50m penalties in the first half, including back-to-back indiscretions which allowed Riewoldt to march 100m downfield for the easiest of goals.
The bad news deepened for the SUNS with Jarrod Harbrow, playing his 150th match, subbed off at half time with a left shoulder injury.
The former Western Bulldog will undergo scans on Monday to determine the extent of any damage.
The Saints also didn't escape without casualty, with Saad subbed off in the third quarter after suffering concussion.
SUNS coach Rodney Eade said Saturday's effort improved on the loss to the Demons for three of the four quarters, but the poor discipline and some basic skill errors had undermined that effort.
"I was pleased how we bounced back after half-time but that second quarter, not through effort I don't think, it was just horrific, the way we used the ball and a lot of basic errors," he said.
"[We] handballed too much. [We] missed goals when we got an opportunity.
"There's some things there we need to change, not only the gameplan, but some things that I'd been told about before I got here.
"The skill level has been bad. We've worked heavily on it over the summer but we just need to keep working on it."
Saints coach Alan Richardson praised his team's effort to force the SUNS to commit those skill errors.
"I was delighted with our pressure," Richardson said.
"You look for perfection as a coach so we did speak about the fact that they got right on top in clearances late in the game.
"But I thought for a big part of the game we were really strong in terms of putting pressure on."
Gold Coast heads to Geelong next weekend while St Kilda take on Collingwood.
GOLD COAST 3.5 4.6 5.13 10.16 (76)
ST KILDA 4.3 12.5 13.8 16.8 (104)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Lynch 3, Prestia 2, Hallahan, Rischitelli, Garlett, Bennell, Ablett
St Kilda: Bruce 6, Riewoldt 2, Saad 2, Sinclair 2, Roberton, Lonie, Dunstan, Curren
BEST
Gold Coast: Rischitelli, Prestia, Martin, Miller, Saad, Swallow
St Kilda: Bruce, Armitage, Fisher, Dunstan, Newnes, Longer
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Jarrod Harbrow (shoulder), Mitch Hallahan (hip)
St Kilda: Adam Schneider (soreness) replaced in selected side by Nathan Wright, Ahmed Saad (concussion)
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Jarrod Garlett replaced Jarrod Harbrow at half-time
St Kilda: Nathan Wright replaced Ahmed Saad in the third quarter
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Ryan, Schmitt, Jeffery
Official crowd: 13,649 at Metricon Stadium
