HAWTHORN has shrugged off a brief arm-wrestle with Gold Coast to power away with a nine-goal spurt and thrash the Suns by 53 points in wet conditions in Launceston.
However a hamstring injury in the final quarter to Cyril Rioli put a dampener on the result for the Hawks as the star forward was forced off the ground after pulling up sore while stretching for a loose ball.
Led superbly by Luke Hodge and with Isaac Smith and Luke Breust providing their usual impressive impact on the scoreboard, the Hawks put the game to bed just after half-time.
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 that left the Suns looking lightweight.
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 to turn a close contest into a second-half training run for the Hawks.
The spread of goalkickers for Hawthorn will have sent a shiver through the rest of the League with nine players slotting majors, and the ever-accurate Breust and his skipper heading the scoring chart with three each.
Gary Ablett put in his usual brilliant shift, running himself into the ground to present at almost every contest but he had few helpers with Harley Bennell and Jack Martin notably quiet. The Little Master had 45 disposals, a record for any player at Aurora Stadium.
Jarrod Harbrow was reported in the final quarter for striking Breust to complete a dirty day for the Suns.
Outside of the usual suspects for Hawthorn like Jordan Lewis (28 disposals), Liam Shiels (25) and Shaun Burgoyne (20), Jonathon Ceglar more than justified Brendon Bolton's decision to keep him in the side ahead of Ben McEvoy, with the former Magpie dominating the ruck contests and slotting a goal.
A concern for the premiers was what appeared to be another twinge to Rioli's troublesome hamstring, which saw the star forward brought to the bench in the final quarter.
The 24-year-old had contributed a goal in a typically livewire performance before having ice and strapping applied to his leg.
Rioli has already missed part of the Hawks' injury-hit premiership defence in 2014 with hamstring issues.
The Hawks couldn't quite boost their percentage enough to take top spot on the ladder, with Port Adelaide still to take on Adelaide in Sunday's Showdown.
Bolton's men take on North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium on Friday night, although the interim coach may have to make way for Alastair Clarkson by then.
The Suns remain in eighth spot courtesy of Essendon's loss to Geelong, but will need a vast improvement on this performance when they host Collingwood next Saturday.
HAWTHORN 2.5 9.6 14.11 17.14 (116)
GOLD COAST 3.0 5.0 6.0 9.3 (57)
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 final 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
