Carlton coach Brett Ratten worried about wins, not his coaching position

BRETT Ratten says finals - not his future - is all that matters to him tomorrow night when the Blues take on Gold Coast.

Brett Ratten

CARLTON coach Brett Ratten says finals - not his future - is all that matters to him tomorrow night when the Blues take on Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium.

The Blues must beat the Suns to stay in the hunt for a top-eight berth but even an appearance in September may not be enough for Ratten to keep his job with speculation linking Mick Malthouse to a coaching comeback with Carlton in 2013.

Carlton looked shot ducks two months ago after such a bright start to 2012 but Ratten has hauled the Blues to within a shot of the finals after overcoming crippling injuries and suspensions.

"I think the evidence is there how our season's shaped. We have a job to do as a footy club and that will be to beat Gold Coast ... we've come here with a mission,'' Ratten said today from Carlton's Gold Coast hotel after arriving on the tourist strip on Thursday night.

"We want to achieve that.

"We'll let things happen as they unfold later in the season.''

Gold Coast trip no holiday for Blues

Carlton should easily account for the injury-ravaged Suns and boost its all-important percentage which will be vital in the tight race for eighth place with Fremantle.

But Ratten said there was no talk of big winning margins inside the Blues camp.

"We know exactly where we sit. Four points is so crictical to us, we are not worried about margins or whatever. We just need the four points to keep going that little bit of hope with finals.

"If we play well, we'll give ourselves an opportunity to kick a good score. It's going to be how we apply ourselves to the game.

"Their (Suns) form says that up here they are about a six-goal better team. We've seen them run the Kangaroos to a kick, Essendon to a kick, so their form up here is something that you have to really respect.''

Rattem admitted he was surprised that Gold Coast had dropped the mercurial Jared Brennan and expected the former Lion to attract interest if he was offered up for trade by the Suns.

"He's such a dangerous player ... he's someone you've got to be mindful of but Bluey (Suns coach Guy McKenna) knows that going on there, that's their decision. He would have made the right one for the club,'' he said.

"I think someobe will look at him if that (trade talk) happens but I'm not worrying about that, that's up to them. We'll be worrying about the 22 (players) that run out.''

Ratten said with most of his front-liners back, the Blues were picking up momentum and recapturing their early season form heading into September. He was pleased with the return of skipper Chris Judd last week against Essendon last week and expects the AFL superstar to go up another gear tomorrow night.