Retiring Hawthorn stalwart Paul Puopolo has made a stylish three-goal AFL farewell in a 51-point demolition of Gold Coast.
Puopolo booted two of Hawthorn’s seven first-term goals in their 17.6 (108) to 8.9 (57) Sunday feast at Adelaide Oval.
Puopolo’s strikes included a curling shot from near a boundary line which dribbled through as the Hawks slotted five goals to nothing in the initial dozen minutes.
By quarter-time, the dead rubber between the non-finalists was decided: the Hawks led 7.1 to 1.1.
The nearest the lacklustre Suns got thereafter was late in the second term.
Hawthorn banked a fifth win of the season and Alastair Clarkson’s side will likely finish 15th.
The Suns are headed for 14th spot in a season which began brightly with three victories from four games but then fell in a hole, with just two more wins.
Gold Coast, still yet to reach the finals in 10 seasons, were steamrolled from the start on Sunday as Hawthorn booted six goals from their initial 10 inside 50s of the game.
Puopolo and fellow veteran Jack Gunston (four goals) helped themselves to two goals each during the spree.
Puopolo’s fellow retiree and triple premiership player Ben Stratton collected 13 disposals and kicked a last-quarter goal – just the second in his 202-game career, coming a decade after his first in his 2010 debut season.
The early Hawthorn charge was led by 10-gamer Dylan Moore, whose nine opening-term disposals included a goal – he tallied 25 possessions for the game.
Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell (33 touches), James Cousins (24), Liam Shiels (25) and ex-Sun Jaeger O’Meara (25) were influential.
Gold Coast’s co-captain David Swallow (27 disposals) and Noah Anderson (25 possessions) and were the team’s leading ball-winners.
Forward Alex Sexton booted three majors while the Suns’ debutant Jy Farrar scored a goal with his first kick in AFL ranks.