A career-best four-goal haul by Izak Rankine has sparked Gold Coast's 37-point AFL win over Hawthorn at the SCG.
X-factor Rankine enjoyed a welcome return to form on Saturday night to help the Suns explode out of the blocks, piling on the first 28 points before kicking on to snap a three-game losing streak and ice a rare victory against the Hawks.
Ben King also kicked four majors as Gold Coast ran out convincing 17.11 (113) to 11.10 (76) victors, marking their biggest total under coach Stuart Dew who took over the reins in 2018.
Rankine - the No.3 pick in the 2018 draft - had come under criticism for failing to back up from last year's standout campaign as the Suns slid down the AFL ladder to 15th.
Indeed the small forward's 2021 highlights reel had made for brief viewing, booting just nine majors in 10 games and averaging just over 12 touches a game before lining up against the lowly Hawks.
But Rankine bounced back to his best in Sydney to kick three goals in the first term alone and set up only the Suns' third win in 14 games against Hawthorn.
King also kicked a bagful for the Suns (4-7) to move to 32 majors and third spot in the race for the Coleman Medal after 11 rounds.
Touk Miller (37 touches, nine marks), Brandon Ellis (28 touches, 11 marks) and Jack Lukosius (27 disposals, 14 marks) were inspirational while Alex Sexton kicked three Suns goals.
In contrast there was only more misery for Hawthorn (2-9) who slumped to their fifth straight defeat and ninth in 10 games.
Veteran Shaun Burgoyne had 15 disposals in his return match after the 38-year-old had missed the past four weeks with an ankle complaint.
After losing Kyle Hartigan to suspension and Jaeger O'Meara to concussion ahead of the game the Hawks couldn't eclipse the Suns despite the best efforts of Ben McEvoy (two goals), Dylan Moore (two majors, 18 disposals), Liam Shiels (26 touches) and Chad Wingard (24 disposals).
The match was originally scheduled as a Gold Coast home game in Darwin, and initially called off following Melbourne's latest COVID-19 outbreak, before being relocated to the SCG.
Despite the last minute change the Suns looked at home from the outset, kicking the first four goals and at one stage leading the inside-50 count 14-0.
Hawthorn didn't get on the board until the 21st minute before launching a late fightback to trail 29-20 at the first interval.
The lead blew out to 28 points at the main break as Gold Coast kicked 10.8 (68) - the most the Suns had compiled by halftime this season.
King (ribs) and ball magnet Noah Anderson (ankle) suffered injury scares while Rankine kicked his fourth to help the Suns enjoy a 88-53 buffer by three-quarter time.
