AFL LIVE: Hawks star in hot water for high contact on Suns rival as clash turns fiery on the Gold Coast

The Suns have opened the scoring in the third quarter with a goal to Ben Long - his second of the game.

It is now a two-point margin between these two sides, and we have a game on our hands.

Hawks 8.8 (56) lead Suns 8.6 (54)

Hawthorn have clung on to an eight-point lead at half-time after a Gold Coast fight back.

But in bad news for the Suns, defender Daniel Rioli has been ruled out of the game after copping a hit to the jaw.

Rioli was crunched by Hawthorn’s Josh Weddle in an old-fashioned hip-and-shoulder motion. It initially looked to be a fair bump, considering Rioli was able to get straight up and take his kick, but he is now benched for the game.

If it was the Weddle incident that ruled him out for the night, the Hawthorn defender faces scrutiny from the match review officer and a possible suspension for a high hit.

What is up with Hawthorn tonight?

They have given up two dumb 50-metre penalties.

The latest was a result of skipper Jai Newcombe arriving late and crunching opponent Matt Rowell after he had taken a mark. Newcombe was never going to get there on time. It was completely unnecessary.

Luckily for the Hawks, Rowell hit missed the 35-metre shot at goal.

The first 50-metre was given away by a James Sicily brain fade. Three times the umpire spoke to Sicily and he totally ignored him.

This game is hard one to work out. The Suns have now kicked four goals in a row.

That followed seven straight goals from Hawthorn.

As a result, Gold Coast have closed the lead to nine points with three minutes until half-time.

The last goal came from Jed Walter. He took a strong mark on the boundary line, deep in the Suns’ forward 50. He was then able to snap truly.

It must be a relief for Walter. He dropped a sitter in the opening term, which should have resulted in a goal.

Instead, it was the beginning of Hawthorn’s run of seven goals.

Gold Coast have broken a run of seven straight Hawthorn goals.

The Suns kicked three of the first four goals of the game before the Hawks went on a rampage.

Thankfully, for the sake of a close contest, they have pulled back three straight goals – one from Touk Miller, the next from Jarrod Witts and then a beauty from the boundary line from Leo Lombard.

Lombard has two for the night.

Gee, weren’t they needed. They had fallen 34 points behind in this second term. Now they trail by 16.

The Hawks 8.7 (55) lead Suns 6.3 (39)

Now its Jack Ginnivan who has had a brain fade. He is looking at a potential suspension after what looks to be a cheeky fist to the chin of Zeke Uwland.

The pair became entangled during play, clutching at each other’s jumpers, but Ginnivan appears to have taken it a step too far.

His clenched fist shook loose of Uwland’s guernsey and hit him in the chin instead.

In the past, the match review officer would impose a fine as a penalty for such an action, but the league is cracking down on punches this year. James Sicily and Dylan Moore both copped a week for gut punches in their match against Port Adelaide this year.

Meanwhile, Hawthorn have ruled Jarman Impey out of the match with a hamstring injury.

Suns midfielder Noah Anderson has already racked up 16 possessions, but he needs some support.

While he has been winning the ball, his teammates have been chasing Hawthorn tail.

We are into the second term and the Suns are trailing by 20 points.

Hawthorn defender Jarman Impey is back off the ground and down in the change rooms for medical attention. Something is clearly amiss.

After a slow opening 15 minutes, Hawthorn hit overdrive to grab a 22-point lead at quarter-time. It helped that skipper Jai Newcombe threaded a classy 40-metre drop punt right on the siren.

The Hawks handed up three of the first four goals to the hard-tackling Suns, before wrestling back moment and kicking five straight.

Dylan Moore kicked two for the quarter and there were singles to Mitch Lewis, Blake Hardwick, Nick Watson and Newcombe.

Damien Hardwick will be perplexed. The Suns started on fire, bringing the heat and laying heavy tackles. Then they went missing.

Nick Watson has kicked a beauty, and the Hawks lead by 16 points as we close in on quarter-time.

Will Day has been on fire in the midfield, giving the Hawks much-needed drive. He won the ball in congestion at half-back, wove his way through traffic and then drove the ball long.

Day’s kick cleared the Hawthorn forwards and Watson was able to turn and win the foot race. He collected the ball at full pace, slammed it on his boot and watched it dribble through the big sticks as he was dragged to the ground.

The Hawks 5.5 (35) lead the Suns 3.1 (19)