AFL round 9: Damien Hardwick turns blowtorch on Gold Coast midfield ahead of Western Bulldogs clash

Damien Hardwick has turned the blowtorch on Gold Coast’s much-vaunted midfield as the Gold Coast coach looks to reverse his side’s form when they head to Darwin.

It was all about contest and clearance at training on Thursday as the Gold Coast Suns went to work on their stoppage craft following last Sundays’ QClash horror show against Brisbane.

The Suns were smashed around the ball by the Lions which came as a major surprise given Damien Hardwick’s side had been among the AFL benchmarks in that area entering the contest.

They were minus-19 in clearance and minus-22 in contested possession – damning numbers for a team that prides itself as one of the best in the business at both.

Much of the post-match analysis was centred on Matt Rowell’s limited influence, after he was held to 16 disposals and a solitary clearance by Brisbane’s chief stopper, Josh Dunkley.

On Thursday, Hardwick was asked if the Suns could do more to support Rowell around the ball but the coach said it was on the midfield group as a whole to lift after having its colours lowered to the Lions.

“We can do some work in that space but we also have to get some better performances from our midfield group full stop,” the coach said.

“Last week’s game was not reflective of their season. We were disappointing across our midfield group. We have to lift.

“Defensively we kept a really good side to nine goals … when you go down minus-19 in clearance, you don’t really get a good look in your forward half.

“The game was actually really challenging to review from an offensive and defensive point of view because our contested ball and clearance stuff just wasn’t to the level that we pride ourselves in.”

Damien Hardwick has turned up the heat on the Suns midfield.

Sam Flanders ended 2024 as arguably the Suns’ best player but has struggled to replicate that form this year, having sat out much of the pre-season with a back injury.

Hardwick backed the 24-year-old to recapture some of his magic this weekend.

“He’s probably a little bit reflective of where we are as a footy side at the moment. I think we’re going OK, but if Sam fires it’s certainly an indication of how good we can be,” Hardwick said.

“His second half (against Brisbane) was probably testament to the way that he is starting to improve. We saw him start to get some ball in damaging places. I think he will have a really big impact this week.

“He’ll be better this week as a result of the team being better, I think.”

The Suns have been presented with the perfect litmus test this weekend when they host the in-form Western Bulldogs at TIO Stadium in Darwin.

Luke Beveridge’s side is among the form teams of the competition, having won its past three matches by an average of 64 points.

The return of Marcus Bontempelli has reinvigorated the Dogs’ midfield, which has dominated St Kilda, GWS and Port Adelaide in recent weeks.

Since his return, the Bulldogs have scored a staggering 30 goals from stoppage and conceded just 10.

“I think they are AFL No. 2 (for clearance) and I think we might be No. 3 (the Suns are No. 7). We have been pretty strong in that part of the game as well,” Hardwick said of the Bulldogs.

“It’s a great challenge to fight back against a side that has been very dominant over the last 3-4 weeks in that area.”

It sets the stage for a mouth-watering midfield match-up in the Top End at a venue the Suns are a perfect 6-0 at over the past three seasons.

“We have a really good record up there (but) there is no guarantee that you automatically get the same result,” Hardwick said.

“We have to play some good football against two sides (Bulldogs and Hawthorn) who are probably the form sides of the competition.

“We are really looking forward to getting up there and playing a lot more (of a) Suns brand of football, as compared to last week.”

Originally published as AFL round 9: Damien Hardwick turns blowtorch on Gold Coast midfield ahead of Western Bulldogs clash