Down by 18 points at half-time, the Dogs looked gone when Gold Coast started the second half with two goals in two minutes, just as they had at the start of the game. A Gold Coast win seemed even more likely when Fletcher Roberts gifted Brandon Matera a 50-metre penalty and goal that  took the lead out to 35 points.

But the Suns disappeared with the fading of the light, adding only two more goals for the game.

Led by veteran skipper Bob Murphy from the backline, the Bulldogs first steadied themselves then gradually took control to charge to their ninth win of the season and fourth in a row. The remainder of the third quarter brought a frustrating 1-5, but the floodgates opened with a 10-goal finale as the Dogs came from 26 points behind to win by 22 – an eight-goal turnaround.

The Bulldogs now sit sixth on the ladder and look a great chance to play finals  for the first time since 2010, a massive change of fortune from last year under first-year coach Luke Beveridge.

The Suns looked to be headed for their second win in a row, and third of the seaso at three-quarter-time.

But it had been a curious term as the Suns opened at the same rate as the first quarter with two goals in the first two minutes before appearing to be trying to protect their advantage for much of the quarter.

The Suns only other goal for the term, scored by Brandon Matera, came with the considerable assistance of a 50-metre penalty.

The goal, Matera's second, extended Gold Coast's lead to 35 points. From there on, however, the Bulldogs dominated play. They were unable to find the goals, however, adding just one goal from Luke Dalhaus, along with five behinds.

The wind which had had an impact in the first half, had now dropped and the game was being played in still conditions.

The Bulldogs, slow to get into the game, were stymied too in the first part of the second quarter with Gold Coast working hard to retain possession and deny the Dogs the opportunity to capitalise on the wind.

Having lost Charlie Dixon at quarter-time with an ankle injury, Gold Coast suffered another scare when David Swallow limped off with what looked to be a knee injury. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and was able to resume.

Koby Stevens was not so fortunate, the Bulldog copping a solid knock to the chest and ribs and being taken from the field. After treatment in the rooms he was taken to hospital for assessment.

The Dogs eventually started to make an impression on the scoreboard with Jack Redpath kicking his second goal and  Michael Talia converting from a mark to reduce the margin to 13 points.

But another burst from the Suns saw Tom Lynch mark and score his second goal. Then Kade Kolodjashni capped a three-bounce run with a fine pass to Jesse Lonergan. Fortunately for the Bulldogs, Lonergan's shot went wide.

Kicking with a significant wind, Gold Coast was quick out of the blocks. The Suns had three goals on the board virtually before the Bulldogs had ventured inside their own forward 50, building that early momentum into a 27-point lead at the first break.

Gary Ablett was involved in the first goal with the first two clearances of the match. He drove the Suns into attack from the opening bounce, then bobbed up in the forward pocket to take a knock-out and caress the ball off the outside of his right foot for the first goal.

Tom Lynch marked for another goal, making it two in two minutes, before Lynch crashed a pack in a marking contest to allow the ball to get to Michael Rischitelli for a third goal. The Bulldogs belatedly got onto the scoredboard when Jack Redpath got their first after 11 minutes.

Charlie Dixon, who scored seven goals in last week's win over North Melbourne, got the fourth goal from a mark and was instrumental in other scoring opportunities as he attacked the ball in marking contests.

Unfortunatelty, Dixon also injured his ankle in the opening term. Although he played the quarter out, he took no further part in the game. Belying the fact they had won last round, both teams made significant changes. The Bulldogs lost four to injury – Roughead, Honeychurch, Hamling and McLean, though they did regain Tom Boyd and Michael Tallia. The Suns made five changes to the team which notched its second win for the season last week.

WESTERN BULLDOGS 1.1 3.3 4.9 14.11 (95) GOLD COAST 5.3 6.3 9.5 11.7 (73)

GOALS Western Bulldogs: Redpath 3, Stringer 2, Dahlhaus 2, Bontempelli 2, Talia 2, Macrae, Wallis, Dickson. Gold Coast: Hall 2, Matera 2, Lynch 2, Dixon, Ablett, Rischitelli, Malceski, Day.

BEST: Western Bulldogs: Murphy, Picken, Bontempelli, Macrae, Wallis, Wood Gold Coast: Kolodjashnij, Lynch, Ablett, Hall, Rischitelli, May.

Injuries: Western Bulldogs: K Stevens (bruised lung). Gold Coast: A Hall (groin), C Dixon (ankle), D Swallow (knee), M Rischitelli (thigh).

UMPIRES Donlon, Mollison, Ryan.

CROWD 9449 at Cazaly's Stadium.

The Age