Gold Coast has spoiled the farewell of several Richmond retirees and guaranteed the Tigers the wooden spoon with a 28-point win on Saturday.

A six-goal second quarter set up the Suns' 14.10 (94) to 10.6 (66) victory at the MCG.

It means the Tigers finished the 2024 season with just two wins and on the bottom of the ladder, while the Suns end up with an 11-12 record.

It spoiled the Tigers' farewell for Marlion Pickett, who came on as the substitute, and Dustin Martin and Dylan Grimes, who were also to be honoured after the game.

An eerie feeling floated around the sun-drenched MCG, with the Tigers-heavy crowd utterly silent in the face of any Gold Coast success, but deafening when celebrating their own side.

It was a relatively uncontested start to the game, with a focus on uncontested marks and outside run. Such style was partly driven by Richmond's powerful opening quarter clearance work in which it broke free of congestion at speed, and partly a result of some misguided kicking by both sides, opening the door for intercept marking and rebound play.

Richmond's midfield duo of Jacob Hopper (24 disposals, 13 clearances) and Tim Taranto (30 disposals, 14 tackles) were immense, getting the home side off to a hot start around the contest.

In opposition, Sam Flanders was Gold Coast's engine room and goalkicker, with his workrate unmatched across the ground, helping him to 29 disposals and two goals for the game. The breakthrough Sun set a new club record for disposals across a home and away season in the process, moving past Gary Ablett jnr's record set back in 2012.

Meanwhile, after slow starts, Matt Rowell (29 disposals, eight clearances) and Noah Anderson (30 disposals, one goal) had an impact.

Once the Suns started to find some control around stoppage, however, fortunes shifted, and they found several avenues to goal. This included Jack Lukosius (two goals), returning after a fortnight out, and Ben Long (12 disposals, three goals), who looks at home in attack.

A third quarter press from Richmond, spurred on by the crowd and the injection of retiring premiership player Marlion Pickett, kept the game in the balance. The Tigers kicked three goals to the Suns' one, narrowing the margin to 21 points at the final break.

But Suns co-captain Jarrod Witts wasn't willing to end 2024 on a loss, inspiring a last quarter lift from the visitors, and finishing with 46 hitouts, 19 disposals, and a goal.

Maurice Rioli jnr's return to Richmond's forward line was a welcome one, as he added some speed and endeavour on the deck inside 50, while nephew Daniel Rioli added a genuine highlight in the second term with an impressive running goal.

RICHMOND 3.4 5.4 8.5 10.6 (66)
GOLD COAST 4.1 10.6 11.8 14.10 (94)

GOALS
Richmond: D.Rioli 2, Bauer 2, M.Rioli, Pickett, Mansell, Graham, Bolton, Baker
Gold Coast: Long 3, Lukosius 2, Graham 2, Flanders 2, Witts, King, Ballard, Andrew, Anderson

BEST
Richmond: Taranto, Hopper, Vlastuin, Baker, D.Rioli
Gold Coast: Flanders, Uwland, Witts, Rowell, Anderson, Miller

INJURIES
Richmond: Nil
Gold Coast: Nil

SUBSTITUTES
Richmond: Marlion Pickett (replaced Sam Banks in the third quarter)
Gold Coast: Jake Rogers (replaced Alex Davies in the third quarter)

Crowd: 34,557 at the MCG