Gold Coast Suns coach Damian Hardwick has praised his side's ability after a gritty win against Collingwood on Friday night.
The Suns ended up victors by six points against the Pies, winning (10.9) 69 to (8.15) 63.
The Gold Coast’s first Friday night game at home started well, as they jumped out to a 40-point lead early in the third quarter and kept Collingwood goalless in the first half, the first time since 2021 that the Pies have been kept goalless in a half.
The Suns withstood the pressure as the ladder-leading Pies jumped into gear in the second half and even in front in the last quarter, but Hardwick’s side kicked two goals in a row in the last to win.
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Hardwick praised his team for winning even after not challenging them offensively as much in the second half.
"The positive for us is we won the game. We're not sitting there reviewing the game and we didn't get the four points. There's some good growth in there for us.” Hardwick said.
"We talk about a Suns team that fights and scraps and refuses to be beaten and I reckon they showed that again today."
The Suns are hoping to play finals for the first time in their history this year, but Hardwick wanted the team to just focus on the next two games against teams in the top eight.
"We finished this block 3-1, it was a challenging block, but we move to the next block, which looks like Adelaide and Brisbane, the next two weeks,” Hardwick said.
"We can go there (talking about finals) and want our players to understand that's what we're aiming for, but we've got to get our thoughts back on the next shift and that next shift is Adelaide.
"That's what the very best sides are doing. We're learning, we're growing. We've still got a way to go, but we're excited about what we can be."
The Suns will face a tough test next week as they take on Adelaide at Adelaide Oval next Sunday.