Written by Megan Taylor, sports reporter covering international sports since 2020
Gold Coast Suns coach Damien Hardwick says his players must rediscover their confidence when they face the Carlton Blues at Marvel Stadium on Saturday. The Gold Coast Suns enter the AFL clash on an eight-game losing streak and need a win to keep their top-10 hopes alive.
The Gold Coast Suns pushed the Western Bulldogs last weekend but lost by nine points after recording 34 turnovers, including 22 that Damien Hardwick classed as unforced. Those mistakes proved costly despite long periods of competitive football.
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Damien Hardwick Targets Cleaner Football
"Our 80 (per cent) last week was pretty good, but our 20 per cent was really bad," Damien Hardwick said.
"Confidence sometimes is a magical formula that we're trying to achieve.
"And we're trying to build that within our players."
The Gold Coast Suns must improve their ball use under limited pressure, particularly when leaving defence and moving through the middle. Carlton has shown greater attacking freedom since Josh Fraser replaced Michael Voss, making turnovers even more dangerous.
Ben King Future Remains in Focus
Ben King remains out of contract and has been linked with rival clubs, but Damien Hardwick does not expect the speculation to affect the forward. Ben King sits second in the Coleman Medal race with 48 goals, two behind Carlton Blues spearhead Charlie Curnow.
"He's been outstanding. You know he will be the same regardless," Damien Hardwick said.
The Carlton Blues won seven straight matches after Josh Fraser took charge but have since suffered two consecutive defeats. Josh Fraser still expects a strong response from his former club at Marvel Stadium.
"Their best footy is really good; they've got talent across the field," Josh Fraser said.
Official fixtures, scores and ladder information are available through the AFL website.