Richmond racked up a century by half-time and ran itself back into form, beating Gold Coast by 92-points at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
It was one-way traffic from the opening two minutes when former SUNS skipper Tom Lynch took a contested mark and converted from adjacent to the goalsquare.
The Tigers were as brilliant as Gold Coast was woeful.
They kicked five goals in the opening 10 minutes, nine in the first quarter and 16 in the first half on the way to a 23.12 (150) to 9.4 (58) victory.
With Jack Riewoldt close to a return, experienced players back in form, and seven matches at the MCG in the run to September, Richmond is ominously poised in sixth place.
Lynch didn't have a heap of work to do upon return to face the club he spent eight years at, but still kicked 3.2.
His small-forward teammates ran amok, with Jason Castagna kicking three of his five goals in the first term and Kane Lambert all three of his in the second.
Lambert typified Richmond's selfless nature – and embarrassing ease of the first-half route – when he took an uncontested mark 20m from goal, just off centre, and squared a pass to Shai Bolton instead of taking the simple shot himself.
The Tigers were too quick and constantly found space through the midfield and in the forward line, taking 23 marks inside 50.
They led by 43 points at quarter-time and 84 at the half in a clinical and ruthless showing.
Skipper Trent Cotchin (27 and two goals) was terrific, while Bolton (26 and two goals) and Dion Prestia (28) also had big days.
Gold Coast was deplorable, losing its 11th straight match and hitting rock bottom on the stroke of half-time.
Not only did Brandon Ellis' running goal from 45m bring up the ton for Richmond, but the nature of it summed up the SUNS' day.
Ellis was awarded a 50m penalty at half-back, and as he ran ahead, no Sun manned the mark, allowing him to play on and take another 10m before kicking accurately on the run.
Gold Coast kept the score in check during the second half, but the horse had long bolted.
The SUNS had played the final three quarters with one player less after teenager Wil Powell was carried off with a knee injury.
GOLD COAST 2.1 3.1 7.2 9.4 (58)
RICHMOND 9.2 16.7 19.9 23.12 (150)
GOALS
Gold Coast: Macpherson 2, Brodie, Witts, Swallow, Day, Weller, Martin, Miles
Richmond: Castagna 5, Lambert 3, Lynch 3, Cotchin 2, Bolton 2, Rioli 2, Chol, McIntosh, Prestia, Ellis, Stack, Soldo
BEST
Gold Coast: Witts, Joyce, Weller, Swallow, Macpherson
Richmond: Cotchin, Lambert, Ellis, Bolton, Prestia, McIntosh
INJURIES
Gold Coast: Powell (knee)
Richmond: TBC
Reports: Nil
Umpires: Stephens, Whetton, Harris
Official crowd: 16,031 at Metricon Stadium
