SUNS coach Damien Hardwick was bitterly disappointed that his side stopped attacking with about 10 minutes left, ultimately sealing their fate.
Gold Coast kicked the first three goals of the game and led by 43 points late in the second term.
"If you stop playing offensively - there's only one side trying to attack - you're on the back foot," Hardwick said
"That's a number of things. It can be fatigue, it can be mental fatigue, it can be physical fatigue.
"The worst thing about it is we have to sit on that loss for nigh-on two weeks."
North and Gold Coast have byes next weekend ahead of massive clashes - the Kangaroos next play Fremantle in Bunbury, and the SUNS face reigning premiers Brisbane in the QClash.
