The Gold Coast SUNS have started the 2016 AFL premiership season in solid fashion, defeating a depleted Essendon line-up by 61 points on Saturday at Metricon Stadium.

The Bombers kicked the first goal of the game through David Zaharakis but the next ten scoring shots belonged to the SUNS, allowing Gold Coast to open up a 29-point lead at the opening change.

The game was never in doubt from that point with the SUNS extending their lead at every change to run out 17.19 (121) to 9.6 (60) winners.

In his first game back from injury, skipper Gary Ablett didn’t miss a beat, accumulating 34 disposals, nine clearances, seven tackles, seven inside 50s and a magical goal from beyond 50 in the second quarter that sent the fans into a frenzy.

Dion Prestia, also returning from injury, had 29 disposals for the SUNS, looking more and more assured as the game went on.

Aaron Hall collected 36 touches, Matt Rosa had 32 and in his 200th AFL game, Michael Rischitelli finished with 27 and a team-high 10 clearances.

Despite the impressive numbers, coach Rodney Eade admits his side still has some work to do before next week’s trip to Perth to face Fremantle.

"I think we got comfortable and that was disappointing," he said.

"I thought we worked hard without the ball but we didn't need to do that if we used the ball correctly like we should have.

"If you said at the start of the game we'd win by 10 goals, you'd take it. There were just some elements of the game where I think we relaxed, so that was disappointing."

Key forward Tom Lynch finished with four goals for the home side, while Sam Day, Aaron Hall and Jack Martin slotted two each.

GOLD COAST 5.5 11.9 15.14 17.19 (121)
ESSENDON 1.0 5.1 7.5 9.6 (60)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Lynch 4, Martin 2, Day 2, Hall 2, Ah Chee, Malceski, Lonergan, Miller, Sexton, Prestia, Ablett
Essendon: Stokes 3, Zaharakis 2, McKernan, Daniher, Crowley, Langford

BEST
Gold Coast: Hall, Ablett, Rosa, Sexton, Rischitelli, Lynch, Malceski
Essendon: Zaharkis, Stokes, Parish, Z.Merrett

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Kolodjashnij (illness) replaced in selected side by Ah Chee
Essendon: Nil

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Hosking, Hay, McInerney

Official crowd: 16,239 at Metricon Stadium