GOLD Coast's players were frustrated after the AFL admitted an error in its score assist system had denied them a goal in a game ultimately decided by three points, but not for the obvious reason.

The Suns were annoyed at themselves for being in that position yet again, a position where a game can be decided by a matter of inches.

This year hasn't quite gone to plan for Gold Coast.

After reaching finals in 2023, the club is now anchored to the bottom of the ladder, recording just a draw and four losses from the first half of the season.

Two of those losses have been blowouts, 54 and 69-point margins against St Kilda and Geelong respectively, but it has been a game of inches otherwise.

The AFL's new Score Assist system has worked against the club twice. Once to confirm Carlton's match-winner at the death back in week two, and more recently an error in the review overturning a goal to Jamie Stanton in what went on to be a three-point loss.

But focusing on those pieces of lost luck would be a mistake, and Gold Coast's leaders – staff and players – know that.

Maintaining focus

It's Tuesday morning, the day after the AFL confirmed that an error was made in the score review system, and that Stanton's second-quarter goal against Collingwood the Friday prior should have been allowed to stand.

There is clear frustration among the group, coaches and players alike, but that frustration is more directed at how the game was able to be decided by such a small margin. 

As head coach Cam Joyce uses vision to reiterate the plan of action for Wednesday's clash with Hawthorn, the passage of play leading up to Stanton's overturned goal is shown. Not for the final kick, but for the effort leading up to it.

A player in the back of the room shouts "and goal!" as the kick goes through, to laughter around the room. But it's quickly back to the task at hand.

The ability to shift between these light-hearted moments, and the need to knuckle down, has been a necessity for the Suns as they manage morale.

"It's obviously so frustrating," winger Georgia Clayden told AFL.com.au of the Score Assist debacle.

"The way I look at it, though, is there were still other things very much in our control that we didn't do great. That's very much been the approach of like, yes, we know the score review is what it is, and it's frustrating because we do think we had that goal, or the other team didn't have a goal, but there are still very much other things in our control that we didn't nail.

"We've got to move on because there's clearly other things we're not doing great. We can't waste our time on the score review when we've got other things we need to sort out."

The close ones

In 2023 the Suns were involved in four matches decided by a goal or less. In three, Gold Coast gave the opposition the lead before surging back late. Those three games resulted in one win, one draw, and one loss. The fourth match, a four-point win over the Western Bulldogs, was a close-run thing, in which the Suns nearly turned a 19-point lead into a loss.

That's all to say, Gold Coast came out on the positive side in close games last year. Those close margins meant the club qualified for finals, with just half a win separating its fifth-place finish from a possible ninth spot, and missing finals altogether.

This season, however, it hasn't been as lucky.

Two losses that involved the score review system, and a draw against Greater Western Sydney paints a tough picture, but one kick here, better discipline there, and the Suns' season could in fact look very similar to that of last year.

Their fall down the ladder is a testament to just how close the AFLW has become. The gap between finals and a bottom six finish is narrower than ever.

And it is with this in mind that the club remains positive, knowing that things can turn very quickly if it can apply itself and get the basics right.

"We feel like we are a better team than how we're playing. And I think 'Joycey' is taking a pretty good approach with us," Clayden said.

"He said, 'Well, one side of it is, we've had three incredibly close games, two of those could very well have been wins, and we're sitting at two wins and a draw and we're in a very different position'.

"So, I think when he brought that to light, it really helped me to be like, okay, we've had two games where we've been beaten by a lot, but we've had three really close games. It's definitely not all hope's lost, and I think as a player it's really just trying to come back to not worrying about the ladder, literally just take it game by game."

Control the controllables

It's a footy cliché, controlling the controllables. But it's a well-used phrase for a reason. Worry too much about what the opposition is good at, how a score review or umpiring decision might go against you, or what you feel the need to stop, and you lose your own identity and confidence.

That's the message within the four walls at the Suns. Play the trademark brand. Yes, identify some key areas where the opposition – for this game, Hawthorn – can be particularly damaging, but don't become solely consumed by stopping them.

And, above all, don't allow acts of ill-discipline to derail your own momentum.

In the loss to Collingwood, the Suns gave up two goals from 50m penalties, and that is a frustration that is clearly bubbling under the surface for Joyce.

"There are some things in our game that get magnified with the small margins," Joyce said.

"There's obviously more things in the game and some lapses at times that we can certainly address from our end to make sure we're not in that situation again."

Bringing everything back to the process is now the sharp focus. Backing what the list is best at, with the faith that doing so will result in that illusive win.

"We're process-driven, but at the same time, obviously we're chasing a win, right?" Joyce said.

"We're firmly focused on what we need to do to be able to earn the right to get one of those. Obviously in three of our five games have been within three points, and clearly, we've had a couple of games where we’ve been blown out

"So, the truth is probably somewhere in the middle in terms of how we're actually going."

Things don't get easier, however, with a match against the competition's team on the rise in Hawthorn on Wednesday afternoon.

But taking it back to the basics, ensuring they get the little things right, and ensuring its hard-hitting brand is established from the off will keep the Suns competitive enough to challenge even the best sides.