Gold Coast burst out of the blocks. Leo Lombard and Ben King kicked two early goals apiece in the first quarter as the Suns built a 15-point lead at the first break, 7.4 (46) to 5.1 (31).

St Kilda clawed back in the second term. Ryan Byrnes snapped a brilliant goal from distance, Mitchito Owens converted, and Hugh Boxshall kept the Saints within touching distance. The Suns led 10.8 (68) to 8.5 (53) at half-time, but the margin could have been wider — Gold Coast's 3.8 in the second quarter told a story of wasted opportunities through wasteful kicking.

The third quarter proved decisive. The Suns tightened up defensively, holding St Kilda to 1.1 while adding 2.8 of their own. Midfielder Matt Rowell (20 contested possessions, 11 clearances) and Ned Moyle (34 hitouts) won the midfield battle comprehensively, and Nick Holman kicked his second goal in his farewell game. At three-quarter time the Suns led 12.16 (88) to 9.6 (60).

St Kilda threatened a comeback in the final term. Mitch Owens converted early after Noah Anderson was caught holding the ball, and Liam Ryan brought the margin back to 16 points. But a Ben King booming goal from beyond 50 — one of three for the night — steadied the Suns. A heated melee erupted after a free kick to Rowell sparked a scuffle involving half a dozen players, and the Saints could not find the clean passage needed. Tom de Koning left the field with a shoulder injury in a sour note for the home side.

Boxshall kicked his third late to give St Kilda a glimmer, but Ben Long sealed it with a goal in the dying minutes.

The third-quarter slog. St Kilda entered the main break with momentum, but the Suns' midfield domination in the premiership quarter — 7-2 centre clearances and a 37-25 contested-possession advantage — suffocated any Saints revival. Jed Walter's strong contested mark and subsequent goal in time on pushed the lead beyond three goals for the first time, and St Kilda never recovered.

Leo Lombard (Gold Coast) — 3 goals, 11 score involvements, 3 goal assists. The half-forward was electric early and a constant threat at the fall of the ball.

Ben King (Gold Coast) — 3 goals from 10 disposals. His booming 50-metre goal in the final term was the dagger.

Brad Hill (St Kilda) — 42 disposals, 29 kicks, 26 effective kicks, 6 inside 50s. The 300-gamer was the Saints' best by volume and quality, providing relentless drive from half-back.

Max Hall (St Kilda) — 37 disposals, 8 clearances, 9 inside 50s, 16 contested possessions. The young rover worked tirelessly against a dominant Suns midfield.

Matt Rowell (Gold Coast) — 20 contested possessions, 11 clearances, 7 frees for. Bossed the clinches and was at the centre of the fourth-quarter melee.

Hugh Boxshall (St Kilda) — 3 goals from the wing as one of few Saints forwards to hit the scoreboard consistently.

Player of the match: Matt Rowell — his clearance work and contested-ball dominance set the platform for every Suns scoring surge.

The scoreboard (Suns 14.19 to Saints 12.8) understates how comprehensively Gold Coast controlled territory and stoppages. Centre clearances finished 15-4 in the Suns' favour — a figure that explains the 42-36 inside-50 advantage and the constant pressure on St Kilda's defence. The Saints actually won the uncontested possession count 232-217 through Brad Hill's distribution, but their 1-11 record against finalists this season told the same story all year: they lack the contested-ball edge to compete with sides that bring pressure through the middle.

Gold Coast's wastefulness in front of goal — 19 behinds to 8 — is a recurring theme Damien Hardwick will need to address in 2027. Ethan Read finished 0.4 in a night to forget.

St Kilda close the season at 10-12. Their Wildcard hopes evaporated weeks ago and Ross Lyon faces an off-season of hard questions about a list that competes against the bottom half but cannot bridge the gap to the top eight.

Gold Coast finish at 9-13, having won just two of their final 13 matches after a promising start to the season. The Suns showed glimpses through their midfield brigade, but the late-season collapse — 11 defeats in 12 games before this win — ultimately cost Damien Hardwick's side any shot at September action.

For Nick Holman (2 goals in his farewell), Dougal Howard (hit the post in his final game), and Brad Hill (42 disposals in his 300th), it was an emotional curtain call.

A fitting end to two underwhelming campaigns — the Suns showed the contested-ball power that gives optimism for 2027, while the Saints again demonstrated the structural weakness that kept them out of September. St Kilda's centre-clearance deficit (15-4) is the single number that defines their season.