ST KILDA coach Ross Lyon has the proverbial lid welded shut despite a 53-point dismantling of Gold Coast sending the unbeaten Saints clear on top of the ladder for the first time since 2009.

Jack Higgins kicked five goals as Mitch Owens and Jack Sinclair starred in the Saints' 17.11 (113) to 8.12 (60) victory at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night.

It was their fourth straight win to start the season, leaving Ross Lyon's new-look outfit as the last side with a perfect record.

SAINTS v SUNS Full match coverage and stats

St Kilda (4-0) sit two points clear of their nearest rivals Carlton (3-1-0).

But greater tests lie ahead, starting with a clash against flag fancies Collingwood next round.

"We're going to get challenged," Lyon said.

"We're not going to go through undefeated, we understand that.

"But based on how we measure ourselves, we're pleased."

Second-year forward Owens (27 disposals, two goals) and All-Australian half-back Sinclair (31 disposals) were outstanding in the Saints' latest triumph, set up with a five-goal burst during the second term.

Seb Ross (30 disposals, five clearances, one goal), Brad Hill (22 touches, two goals) and Brad Crouch (34 disposals, six clearances) helped blow Gold Coast away after quarter-time.

But the victory came at a cost when substitute Jack Bytel was helped off the field with a left ankle injury just minutes after being thrust into the game in the final term.

"We felt sick in the box. We replayed it and thought it was an ACL," Lyon said.

"It's a high-grade ankle injury but until we scan it we don't know. We think there's no fracture."

Touk Miller (32 disposals, 10 clearances), Noah Anderson (37 disposals, 10 tackles, seven clearances) and Lachie Weller (30 touches) were among the Suns' best.

Gold Coast lost co-captain Jarrod Witts (soreness) before the opening bounce, leaving debutant Ned Moyle to battle in the ruck against Rowan Marshall.

They started well but failed to capitalise on early territorial dominance as the lead changed hands four times during the first quarter.

Higgins provided the Saints' spark in attack with three goals in the second term as they skipped 22 points clear by half-time.

It was party time in the third quarter as Hill and Owens kicked goals for the highlights reel and the margin ballooned to 47 points.

Gold Coast never seriously challenged their hosts after the main break.

"The first quarter was probably our best for the year but St Kilda cranked it up and we lost all composure and all system with the ball," Suns coach Stuart Dew said.

"It's really disappointing. We failed this test."

Plan for these Saints at your peril
On the eve of the season St Kilda's forward line looked nonexistent, but four weeks in and it's starting to appear more like a masterwork of mayhem. No Max King, no Tim Membrey, no worries. Jack Higgins has kicked nine goals in the past two rounds, but he was somewhat of a known, if unique, entity. However, Mitch Owens was far from being a concern for opposition forward scouts and Anthony Caminiti wasn't even a Saints player. Now the mix of youth and unpredictability is proving a handful for sides who will be wishing Max King was there so they could prepare their defence around a central target. Saturday night was Owens' breakout game, the 191cm mid-sized forward doing everything a much taller, and shorter, player can do, proving a headache for Stuart Dew and, possibly, Craig McRae as Collingwood prepares for the Saints in Gather Round next Sunday.

Moyle a more than handy foil
Ned Moyle has been on the Gold Coast list since the 2021 mid-season draft when he was brought in as back-up for Jarrod Witts, and that's where he's stayed since - as a back-up. However, with Witts a late withdrawal on Saturday night it was time for the 206cm 21-year-old to come to the fore. Moyle was possessionless through the first half and had just three tackles and 10 hitouts to his name, yet the Suns led centre clearances seven to five off the back of some excellent tap work. Moyle's first kick came early after play resumed, doing his own clearance work and setting up a Joel Jeffrey goal, and he finished the match with five disposals, seven tackles and 35 hitouts. If Witts is back next week Moyle will be playing VFL, but there's plenty more senior footy ahead for this guy and the Suns will want to make sure it's in a red and yellow jumper.

Soft Suns put pressure straight back on Dew
Despite convincingly winning hitouts (46-37) and clearances (45-35) to get first use of the ball, Gold Coast then lost touch of the Sherrin too easily on Saturday, with St Kilda dominating possessions by 120 (467-347). Touk Miller had 10 clearances and Noah Anderson seven, yet there's not much benefit of getting the ball out if you're giving it straight to the opposition, and the rest of the Suns did too little to try and win it back. Stuart Dew would be frustrated to see how well his side is capable of playing when it's switched on, as was the case against Geelong last round, and yet how ineffectual it can be when things start running the other way, and the coach knows pressure and speculation will be back on his head this week.

ST KILDA          3.2    8.6    13.10    17.11 (113)
GOLD COAST    3.4    4.8     5.11      8.12 (60)
 
GOALS 
St Kilda: Higgins 5, Hill 2, Caminiti 2, Owens 2, Windhager, Sinclair, Ross, Phillipou, Cordy, Butler
Gold Coast: Rosas, King, Jeffrey, Casboult, Anderson, Ainsworth, Sexton, Holman

BEST 
St Kilda: Owens, Hill, Higgins, Sinclair, Marshall, Wilkie, Crouch
Gold Coast: Anderson, Miller, Powell, Collins, Ainsworth

INJURIES 
St Kilda: Bytel (ankle)
Gold Coast: TBC

LATE CHANGES
Gold Coast: Jarrod Witts replaced in selected side by Ned Moyle

SUBSTITUTES
St Kilda: Jack Bytel (replaced Rowan Marshall in the fourth quarter)
Gold Coast: Alex Sexton (replaced Joel Jeffrey in the fourth quarter)

Crowd: 21,049 at Marvel Stadium