Harding and Proud won numerous clearances between them and showed a fierce desire to win the football.
Harding capped a fine display with three goals and a mark of the year contender, hanging on the shoulders of Brock Turton for a screamer midway through the last quarter.
Proud worked extra hard in the clinches and performed an excellent shutdown job on the rampaging Ash Evans in the second half.
Evans collected 20 possessions to the main break and was cutting the Lions to pieces, but was rarely seen once Proud went to him.
Suncoast were left to rue their inaccuracy in front of goal, having generated three more scoring shots than the home side to three quarter time, but trailing by 32 points.
Mt Gravatt’s superior strength and depth told in the finish as they added five goals to one in the last quarter to run out 21.11 (137)-10.18 (78) victors.
Mt Gravatt booted the opening three goals, before Harding and Proud got their side back into the game.
Bradd Dalziell had an entertaining battle with the white-hot Rory Lake early, and James Polkinghorne was good in the one-on-one contests.
A quality 50m set shot after the siren by Polkinghorne put the Lions within two points of the Vultures at the first break, but it was as close as they would get.
Evans, Andrew Scott and Lake ran riot in the second term as the Vultures added 7.1-2.5 for the term.
The Lions never gave up and again their inaccuracy held them back from getting closer in the third term, although the Vultures were that bit cleaner in moving the ball forward.
Ex Lions Darryl White, Shane Morrison, and Will Hamill were outstanding for Mt Gravatt, while Tom Tarrant was rock solid.
One positive for the visitors was the return to action of tall utility forward Mitchell Clark.
Clark looked understandably rusty after not having played a game this season, but looked to have pulled up okay from the hit out, which saw him spend time at full-forward, half-back and in the ruck.
With no recognized ruckmen, Scott Clouston did a manful job, particularly around the ground.
Pat Garner, in his second game back from consecutive knee reconstructions, played mainly across the last line of defence or attack, did a couple of nice things.
He took the ball near goal and burned off two defenders to register a major in a good sign in the third term.
Robert Copeland took a while to get into the game, but saw plenty of the ball in the second half.
Top up player James Pennycuik put in his third eye-catching display in as many weeks, kicking two goals and winning some ball around the ground.
The Lions suited up with 13 listed players following the late call-up of Wayde Mills to replace Jamie Charman in Adelaide.
They may have a similar number for next Sunday’s clash with Zillmere at O’Callaghan Park.
Scoreboard:
Mt Gravatt 4.2 11.3 16.6 21.11 (137)
Suncoast Lions 3.5 5.11 9.16 10.18 (78)
Mt Gravatt:
Goal Kickers: J Furfaro 5, N Gilliland 3, C Tarrant 3, R Bail 2, T Spencer 2, A Evans, R Lake, S Morrison, A Van Rooyen, B Riordan, M Hamill
1
Best: R Lake, N Gilliland, J Furfaro, S Morrison, G Tarrant, D White Suncoast Lions: Goals: S Harding 3, J Pennycuick 2, J Polkinghorne, R Copeland, D Dzufer, S Clouston, P Garner 1
Best: A Proud, S Harding, J Polkinghorne, S Clouston, H Kiel, M Tyler
