RARELY has the first minute of play been as prophetic as that of Gold Coast’s record-breaking 87-point demolition of West Coast at Optus Stadium on Sunday.

A free kick to Jarrod Witts, a handball to Noah Anderson, long kick inside 50 to Ethan Read who shoved off Jeremy McGovern to mark and goal.

EAGLES v SUNS Full match coverage and stats

It was so simple and so foretelling.

Gold Coast was ruthless from the outset, dominating West Coast all over the ground to win 20.16 (136) to 7.7 (49).

It was the largest win in the club’s 15-year history.

The victory was set-up in the engine room, with new skipper Anderson (36 disposals, nine clearances, three goal assists), Matt Rowell (30, 10 clearances, eight tackles) and Touk Miller (26, 10 clearances, two goals) feasting off the ruck work of Witts.

Miller’s running from contest to contest typified his team’s desperation and superior work-rate to their opponents.

They hunted in packs, owning the clearances (50-33) and winning more than their share of contests to camp the ball in the front half of the ground where they were able to either score or turn the ball over and pump it back in.

Ben King kicked a career-best six goals and pulled down a towering third-quarter grab, while Ben Long (four goals) and youngsters Jake Rogers (three) and Read (two) also cashed in on their team’s dominance.

Bailey Humphrey was excellent as he split time between the midfield and forward line, chalking up five goals assists.

There was a sour note for the Suns though, with reliable defender Charlie Ballard leaving the ground late in the second quarter with a knee injury after landing awkwardly from a mark.

Although leading by just 16 points at quarter-time, this is where the Suns laid the foundation for victory.

They extended to 45 at the half and 60 at the final change as West Coast’s damn wall eventually broke.

Daniel Rioli and John Noble showed all the dash and class they were recruited for, with Rioli pocketing two goals in his first game for his new club.

It was a disappointing first outing under Andrew McQualter for the Eagles, with the midfield badly outplayed and the back seven constantly under pressure.

Richmond recruits Jack Graham and Liam Baker battled well, while Brady Hough and Reuben Ginbey can hold their heads high.

Jake Waterman left the field during the third quarter with a calf injury to make matters worse.

First quarter domination
Although it was just a 16-point lead for Gold Coast at quarter-time, the writing was on the wall for West Coast. The Suns generated an incredible 23 inside 50s to just four, and only poor connection to their thirsty forwards cost them a more substantial lead. Rowell (12) and Anderson (11) owned the midfield battle as the visitors led the clearance count (13-4) and contested possessions (39-20). The platform was set and five unanswered goals in the second term would finally give some reward for effort.

King’s early contender for MOTY
It’s only round one, but Ben King’s skyscraping mark midway through the third quarter is a legitimate early contender for Mark of the Year. With Bailey Humphrey pumping the ball deep from long range, King backed up from his opponent Harry Edwards, then used him as a stepladder – with the additional hang on his shoulder – to pull down a beauty at the top of the goalsquare. It was the fourth of his career-best six goals in a wonderful start to the spearhead’s season.

Eagles mids missing
McQualter and the Eagles won’t have to look much further in their review than the midfield for where things began to go wrong. That’s not absolving the remainder of the team of the performance, but the Suns waltzed the ball from the middle of the ground far too regularly, heaping wave after wave of pressure on the defenders. Graham and Baker battled hard, while Tim Kelly (14 disposals) and youngster Harley Reid (12) had quiet outings they’d rather forget. Things don’t get any easier next week as the Eagles make the long trip east to face premier Brisbane.

WEST COAST            2.1       2.4       5.5          7.7 (49)
GOLD COAST             4.5       9.7       14.11      20.16 (136)

GOALS
West Coast: Waterman 2, Allen 2, H.Reid, Flynn, Owies
Gold Coast: King 6, Long 4, Rogers 3, Read 2, Miller 2, Rioli 2, Graham

BEST
West Coast: Graham, Baker, Hough, Ginbey
Gold Coast: Anderson, Miller, Rowell, King, Rioli, Humphrey, Witts 

INJURIES
West Coast: Waterman (calf), Duggan (ankle)
Gold Coast: Ballard (knee)

SUBSTITUTES
West Coast: Ryan Maric (replaced Jake Waterman in the third quarter)
Gold Coast: Alex Sexton (replaced Charlie Ballard at half-time)

Crowd: 46,532 at Optus Stadium