In round 17 last season, a statement needed to be made, but instead Gold Coast only raised more questions over its finals credentials without injured skipper Gary Ablett.
The battling Western Bulldogs kicked six unanswered goals in the final term to score a comfortable 13.16 (94) to 9.12 (66) win over the SUNS in Cairns on Saturday.
Dual Brownlow medallist Ablett was ruled out for the rest of the season this week after undergoing a shoulder reconstruction with his side clutching onto eighth spot.
The loss leaves the SUNS' finals hopes hanging by a thread and if Essendon beats Collingwood on Sunday, they will be bounced out of the top eight.
It was also the sixth time the club has lost in six outings without their skipper.
Emerging midfielder Jack Macrae was the catalyst for the Bulldogs’ win, with the 19-year-old kicking two goals in a final term blitz.
His performance came a week after Bulldogs coach Brendan McCartney had dumped him to the substitute bench and said the teenager had been "letting us down in some areas".
The Bulldogs had threatened to blow the game wide open in the first quarter, slamming home three majors in four minutes after the wasteful Suns missed three golden opportunities on goal.
The SUNS needed something to stop the rot and they found it in Jaeger O'Meara (two goals, 22 disposals) in the shadows of half-time with the 20-year-old loading up from 50m out and kicking a goal.
Charlie Dixon slotted another major for the SUNS to open the second quarter, but for the next 20 minutes the two teams traded behinds before finally Tom Lynch (two goals, 16 disposals) broke the goal drought.
His superb individual effort closed the gap to just five points.
The tense battle continued in the third term before the Dogs eased to victory with the match in the balance.
WESTERN BULLDOGS 5.1 5.5 7.12 13.16 (94)
GOLD COAST 2.3 6.6 7.10 9.12 (66)
GOALS
Western Bulldogs: Hunter 2, Stringer 2, Macrae 2, Hrovat, Bontempelli, Johannisen, Redpath, Dahlhaus, Liberatore, Crameri
Gold Coast: Dixon 3, O'Meara 2, Lynch 2, Bennell, Martin
BEST
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Hrovat, Dahlhaus, Johannisen, Hunter, Minson, Boyd
Gold Coast: O'Meara, Prestia, Stanley, Kolodjashnij, Lynch
Official crowd: 9,746 at Cazaly's Stadium, Cairns
