Retiring Gold Coast champion David Swallow has kicked a behind with nine seconds remaining to lift his team to a thrilling one-point elimination final win over Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
Fremantle fought back from 26 points down late in the third quarter to take a six-point lead with three minutes remaining in Saturday night's blockbuster in front of 57,507 fans.
In a dramatic finish, Suns defender Mac Andrew drifted forward and took an important mark to goal and level the scores with 72 seconds to go.
Then the veteran Swallow, who was subbed on early in the final quarter, received a free kick after being tackled by Brennan Cox without the ball.
Swallow nailed the set shot from 50m for what at first appeared a goal. But on review it was only awarded a behind after replays showed it was touched on the mark.
Nevertheless, rather than the centre bounce that a goal would have triggered, it left Fremantle with just nine seconds to go coast-to-coast. The Suns held firm to secure the 11.14 (80) to 12.7 (79) win.
The result ends the decorated career of Fremantle's dual Brownlow medallist Nat Fyfe, who received a guard of honour after the match.
Gold Coast will now take on Brisbane in a Q-Clash semi-final at the Gabba next Saturday night.
Bailey Humphrey kicked three goals for the Suns, while Matt Rowell (34 disposals) and Noah Anderson (32 disposals) were huge.
Caleb Serong (35 disposals) and Andrew Brayshaw (32 disposals) racked up big numbers for Fremantle and Patrick Voss kicked three goals.
Fremantle entered the match with a combined 51 games of finals experience to their name.
In contrast, the Suns had just three players with finals experience - Daniel Rioli (13 games), John Noble (seven) and Ben Long (one), but it was Fremantle who looked more nervous in the first half.
Just one goal apiece was kicked in an even opening quarter as both sides blew a series of golden chances in the slippery conditions.
Fremantle excitement machine Shai Bolton didn't register a score from his two shots on goal, but the biggest miss from the opening quarter belonged to fellow goalsneak Michael Frederick, who dribbled his kick into the post from just 10m out.
The goals flowed more freely in the second term as the game opened up, with Suns forward Bailey Humphrey kicking three of Gold Coast's seven majors.
Fremantle initially kept pace with the Suns - the home side holding a one-point lead when Murphy Reid nailed his set shot at the 18-minute mark.
But four quick goals from the Suns to end the half turned the contest on its head, with Gold Coast entering the main break with a 25-point advantage.
Star Suns midfielder Touk MIller had just seven disposals and one clearance to his name in a quiet first half.
But the dominance of midfield beasts Rowell (18 disposals, four clearances) and Anderson (18 disposals, five clearances) meant Gold Coast's forwards enjoyed enough supply, with the visitors scoring from 17 of their 26 inside-50m entries in a tremendous show of efficiency.
The Suns toyed with Fremantle for most of the third quarter, but their inability to capitalise on their territory dominance came back to haunt them.
Dockers goalsneak Isaiah Dudley, who had tallied just two disposals in the first half, kicked two goals in the space of three minutes late in the quarter to ignite the crowd and reduce the margin to 15 points at the final change.
In a frantic final term, Luke Jackson took a huge mark over Mac Andrew with less than four minutes remaining to kick the go-ahead goal, giving Fremantle a six-point lead.
But the Suns had the last laugh, coming up trumps in the clutch moments at the clock wound down.