Hawthorn has shrugged off a brief arm-wrestle with Gold Coast to power away and defeat the SUNS by 53 points in wet conditions in Launceston.

The rain was a constant presence throughout the game with downpours usually coinciding with the start of each term, but the Hawks made light of the atrocious conditions to play smart contested football.

When Charlie Dixon slotted a goal for Gold Coast mid-way through the second quarter, it brought them level with Hawthorn but that was as good as it would get for Guy McKenna's men, who conceded the next nine goals.

Gary Ablett put in his usual brilliant shift, running himself into the ground to present at almost every contest. The Little Master had 45 disposals, a record for any player at Aurora Stadium.

HAWTHORN      2.5    9.6    14.11    17.14 (116)
GOLD COAST   3.0    5.0    6.0        10.3 (63)

GOALS
Hawthorn: Breust 3, Hodge 3, Smith 2, Roughead 2, Lewis 2, Rioli, Burgoyne, Ceglar, Birchall
Gold Coast: Lynch 2, Ablett 2, Dixon 2, Bennell, Martin, Smith, Prestia
 
BEST
Hawthorn: Hodge, Lewis, Ceglar, Smith, Sewell, Shiels
Gold Coast: Ablett, Rischitelli, Swallow, O’Meara, Prestia
 
INJURIES
Hawthorn: Rioli (hamstring)
Gold Coast: TBC
 
SUBSTITUTES
Hawthorn: Grant Birchall replaced by Taylor Duryea in the fourth quarter.
Gold Coast: Greg Broughton replaced by Jesse Lonergan in the third quarter.
 
Reports: Jarrod Harbrow reported for striking Luke Breust in the final quarter.

Umpires: Stevic, Schmitt, O’Gorman
 
Official crowd: 13,178 at the Aurora Stadium