Richmond gave Gold Coast a fright in the third quarter of Saturday's Opening Round, but a 67-point advantage just before half-time was too much to overcome at People First Stadium.

The 22,068 local fans were nervous as the Suns watched the margin dwindle all the way to 23 early in the last quarter, as the Tigers kicked seven straight goals.

However, once Malcolm Rosas jnr kicked a goal after Nathan Broad was adjudged to have deliberately rushed a behind, the Suns steadied to win 14.15 (99) to 9.6 (60).

It was a rollercoaster afternoon with Gold Coast kicking 11 consecutive goals in a blistering first half and the Tigers responding with a run of seven that bridged half-time.

Although it created some heart palpitations for new Suns coach Damien Hardwick he could have done without, there was plenty to like about his first game in charge.

Matt Rowell put on a midfield clinic, winning a staggering 20 clearances from his 33 disposals to give his team first use of the ball most of the afternoon.

In the first half alone, he had six (of his 10) centre bounce clearances. Richmond had four as a team.

It typified the gulf between the outfits early on as Gold Coast put on a blistering display.

Sam Flanders (26), Noah Anderson (25) and Touk Miller (28) all put their snouts in the disposal trough alongside Rowell, hunting as a midfield pack to link up with the ball, and swarm defensively without it.

Ben King kicked five goals in a promising display, while Jack Lukosius and Rosas jnr added three apiece.

The Tigers were missing some of their biggest artillery in Dustin Martin (corky), Tom Lynch (foot) and Toby Nankervis (foot), but they were well off the pace in the first half.

To their credit though, whatever first-time coach Adem Yze said at half-time worked, as Shai Bolton (three goals), Jacob Hopper (23 and two goals) and Daniel Rioli fuelled a furious comeback.

Their workrate lifted, and they began to move the ball in a way that challenged Gold Coast's defence.

Nick Vlastuin was marvellous in defence, but the Tigers had left themselves too much work to do.

Debutant Seth Campbell played a spirited game, kicking two goals.

GOLD COAST          5.4     11.8     11.11     14.15 (99)
RICHMOND             1.0      2.1       8.3         9.6 (60)  

GOALS
Gold Coast: King 5, Rosas jnr 3, Lukosius 3, Fiorini 2, Holman
Richmond: Bolton 3, Hopper 2, Campbell 2, Pickett, Balta

BEST
Gold Coast: Rowell, Powell, Flanders, Anderson, King, Budarick
Richmond: Vlastuin, Hopper, Bolton, Rioli, Short 

INJURIES
Gold Coast: Nil
Richmond: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Gold Coast: Darcy Macpherson (replaced Brandon Ellis in the fourth quarter) 
Richmond: Jack Ross (replaced Samson Ryan in the third quarter)

Crowd: 22,086 at People First Stadium