Redland crashed to its seventh consecutive loss with their biggest defeat this season when the Gold Coast Suns ran rampant in a 113-point thrashing at Yeronga on Sunday.
The Bombers conceded 10 goals to none in the last quarter for a 26.15 (171) to 9.4 (58) loss, which ends their NEAFL finals hopes with three rounds remaining.
The Suns led by 15 points at quarter-time in an even first quarter, but began to break away in the second when they opened up a 43-point lead late in the term.
Redland managed to string together the last two goal of the half, plus the first of the third quarter, to reduce the deficit to 24 points.
But that would be as closed as they would come as the Suns restored a match-winning 51-point lead by the final chance, before an onslaught in the last.
A disappointed Bombers coach Chris David said they were simply no match for an experienced Gold Coast side fielding 14 AFL-listed players.
“At the end of the day, they were very good. They had 14 AFL-listed players and their top-up players are sensational,” he said.
“We came out with the right attitude to try and obviously play our best, but they negated us in every aspect of the game.
“We spoke at half-time that if we were within striking distance at half-time we were every chance at running over the top of them, but unfortunately we aren’t able to maintain it.
“We turned the ball over at crucial times, and if you are going to give the ball back to the opposition, it makes it very difficult.”
Clay Cameron booted five goals for the Suns and Brayden Fiorini kicked four among his 31 disposals.
Mitch Hallahan was also damaging with 32 disposals, nine clearances and nine inside 50s, and ruckman Cameron Leorsch finished with 26 disposals, 10 marks, and 19 hit-outs in a strong performance.
The only sour note for the Suns was a bad groin injury to defender Trent McKenzie, who limped off early in the last quarter and finished the match on ice.
Blake Grewar was Redland’s only multiple goal-kicker, both coming in the first term, as he battled hard for 36 disposals and seven clearances.
NEAFL Rising Star nominee Hayden Bertoli-Simmonds was another shining light with 28 disposals, 10 clearances and a goal.
The Bombers have a bye next week before finishing off the minor round season against the Giants at Spotless Stadium and Canberra at Tidbold Park.
Redland Bombers v Gold Coast Suns at Leyshon Park
GOLD COAST 6.3 11.7 16.12 26.15 (171)
REDLAND 4.0 7.1 9.3 9.4 (58)
GOALS – Gold Coast: C Cameron 5, B Fiorini 4, N Kempe 4, J Bowes 3, S Donnelly 2, K Brooksby 2, D Charlesworth, S Lemmens, D MacPherson, M Spencer, B Scheer, J Williams. Redland: B Grewar 2, P Yagmoor, A Christensen, H Bertoli-Simmonds, K Walsh, T Salter, J O’Donnell, J Licht.
BEST – Gold Coast: C Cameron, M Hallahan, C Loersch, B Fiorini, T McKenzie. Redland: B Grewar, H Bertoli-Simmonds, S Miller, P Yagmoor.