GOLD Coast has bounced back from a QClash humiliation by producing a confidence-boosting 14-point victory over St Kilda in Mackay.

The Suns suffered a 73-point belting at the hands of Queensland rivals Brisbane last week but showed no mental scars of that defeat on Saturday.

Led by Charlie Rowbottom, the Suns produced a match-winning third quarter by kicking three goals and keeping the Saints scoreless.

SUNS v SAINTS Full match coverage and stats

St Kilda finished with a strong breeze in the last quarter, but Gold Coast was able to hang on 5.12 (42) to 4.4 (28) for its second win of the season.

Rowbottom, the sister of Sydney men's midfielder James, put in the type of performance that had her picked first in the 2021 draft.

She collected a game-high 30 touches, six clearances and laid nine tackles.

The lively Kalinda Howarth was also important, booting Gold Coast's first goal to finish with two majors and 22 possessions.

Howarth, who is of Indigenous descent, celebrated her first goal with a special dance as the Suns wore their First Nations jumper.

St Kilda star Georgia Patrikios, who sat out last season after refusing to comply with the League's vaccination policy, was well held in a win for the Suns.

Bianca Jakobsson was the Saints' leading ball-winner with 19 possessions, while key forward Caitlin Greiser slotted two goals to be St Kilda's only multiple goalkicker.

St Kilda won its opening two games of the season, but the defeat to the Suns was its second straight loss after going down to premiership fancy Melbourne last week.

Rowbottom dominates
Charlie Rowbottom, pick No.1 in the 2021 NAB AFLW Draft, was in fine form on Saturday. The midfielder was the dominant player on the ground, gathering 30 disposals to go with nine tackles and six clearances – all game-highs. Rowbottom also had seven score involvements to lead the Suns to their win.

Say what?
"We were really impressed, first of all to get the win, but we knew the Saints had come in with some decent form and held Melbourne for the last three quarters as well, which I think can get underestimated and just the way our girls went around the contest and were able to then get the ball forward for us and give us a chance to score, it was really pleasing." – Gold Coast coach Cameron Joyce

"I thought the scoreboard was a little bit flattering to us, to be honest. I know we pushed hard with the breeze in the last quarter and put some scoreboard, a little bit of pressure on at least, but I thought the damage was done, particularly early. The Suns were really dominant, particularly around the football, I thought their contested and clearance work was really good, I thought they outspread us at times, and to put it in basics, they outworked us for the majority of the day." – St Kilda coach Nick Dal Santo

Up next
The Saints have a short turnaround with a trip to GMHBA Stadium to face Geelong on Thursday, while the Suns host Port Adelaide on Sunday next week.

GOLD COAST       1.5     2.8     5.10    5.12  (42)
ST KILDA             1.0     1.2     1.2      4.4  (28)

GOALS
Gold Coast: Howarth 2, Bohanna, Dupuy, Jones
St Kilda: Greiser 2, Matin, Shierlaw

BEST 
Gold Coast: Rowbottom, Howarth, Jones, Drennan, Watson
St Kilda: Jakobsson, Priest, Greiser, Vesely

INJURIES 
Gold Coast: Nil
St Kilda: Nil

Reports: Nil