YOUNG Talent Time is alive and well on the Gold Coast as the Suns thumped Hawthorn by 53 points on Saturday night.
While Ben King kicked four goals and the dynamic midfield thrashed their lacklustre opponents, it was Gold Coast's fresh faces that again stole the show at People First Stadium.
In just his third game, power forward Jed Walter kicked two goals, as did second-gamers Ethan Read and exciting winger Sam Clohesy.
Will Graham, who also made his debut last week, was ferocious in the midfield, laying a match-high 14 tackles to go with 14 disposals and four clearances to fit right in with his seasoned teammates.
The result was a 16.13 (109) to 8.8 (56) victory that moves Gold Coast to a 3-2 win-loss record ahead of facing Sydney at the SCG next Sunday.
After kicking the game's first three goals inside 10 minutes, the Suns were never truly challenged, extending their advantage at every change.
Noah Anderson (36 disposals and one goal), Touk Miller (28) and Matt Rowell (23 and a goal) gave the Hawks midfield a bath, winning the clearance count 38-28 and giving them a 65-46 inside 50 advantage that proved too much.
The game style under Damien Hardwick is becoming more distinct by the week.
Once winning the ball at the contest, Gold Coast was happy to possess it and chip it around before going long to the tall targets of King, Read and Walter.
Read kicked the first goal of the match, much to the excitement of 100-odd mates there to support he, Graham and Walter, and never looked back.
There was a bit of spice in the early exchanges, with Mac Andrew taking exception to some treatment from Jack Ginnivan and shoving the Hawk to ground when he wasn't expecting it.
When the teams settled, it was Clohesy who did the second-quarter damage with two smart goals to retain Gold Coast's handy lead. His second was a flushed drop punt from 40m that went through post high.
Hawthorn managed to keep itself in the contest with quick transition leading to a second goal for Finn Maginness before the break.
Despite some half-time moves from Sam Mitchell, his team was again out-muscled and out-worked in the second half, with King kicking three on his own in the third quarter.
Read's second goal typified the gap between the teams, as Tom Berry's desperation to sprint past a couple of opponents kept the ball alive for the lanky teenager to toe it through off the ground.
Super sub Swallow
On the same night he passed brother Andrew for the most games in family history with 225, David Swallow turned super sub with an incredible final quarter. After coming on late in the third term, Swallow did all his damage as a half-forward in the last, kicking three goals. The club's inaugural No.1 draft pick and fan favourite has been the 23rd man the past two matches and is proving as valuable as ever with his ferocity and versatility.
Hamstring injury for unlucky Rosas jnr
The only sour note on the night for Gold Coast was a third-quarter hamstring injury suffered by Malcolm Rosas jnr. The small forward kicked an early goal, but his night was cut short when he grabbed for the back of his right leg and was subbed out by veteran David Swallow. Rosas jnr has been an important part of the Suns' forward line, using his blistering speed to apply a heap of defensive pressure alongside Tom Berry and Nick Holman. He will be scanned on Monday.
GOLD COAST 4.4 6.8 11.10 16.13 (109)
HAWTHORN 1.4 3.4 5.6 8.8 (56)
GOALS
Gold Coast: King 4, Swallow 3, Clohesy 2, Read 2, Walter 2, Rowell, Rosas jnr, Anderson
Hawthorn: Maginness 3, Moore, Macdonald, Hardwick, Ginnivan, Chol
BEST
Gold Coast: Anderson, Rowell, King, Ainsworth, Clohesy, Miller, Andrew
Hawthorn: Maginness, Impey, Sicily, Amon
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Rosas jnr (hamstring)
Hawthorn: Nil
SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: David Swallow (replaced Malcolm Rosas jnr during the third quarter)
Hawthorn: Henry Hustwaite (replaced Cam Mackenzie at half-time)
Crowd: 13,900 at People First Stadium
