GOLD Coast coach Stuart Dew won't label it an early 'elimination final' but he's approaching next week's crunch clash with Fremantle like it's not far from it.
The Suns were left "wounded" by a 53-point thrashing from St Kilda on Saturday night that Dew said exposed a lack of composure and leadership in his group.
The result left Gold Coast with a 1-3 record, identical to the Dockers after their defeat to Adelaide hours earlier.
The loser of Friday's clash at Norwood Oval will already be facing an uphill battle to stay in the finals race.
"It's very important, clearly, but it is a long year," Dew said after the Suns' 17.11 (113) to 8.12 (60) loss to St Kilda.
"A couple of weeks ago, everyone was writing the Bulldogs off, so they've smacked that back for a couple of weeks, but we know that's the industry.
SAINTS v SUNS Full match coverage and stats
"We can only go on results and tonight didn't go our way, so we accept that we go into next week with a bit of pressure.
"We need to be able to face that and lean into it."
After toppling reigning premier Geelong in round three, Gold Coast was brought back to earth with a bang by St Kilda at Marvel Stadium.
The Suns started strongly but failed to capitalise on opportunities and were made to pay as the Saints ran away with the game after quarter-time.
"It sounds shallow but we're a bit wounded on the back of today and Fremantle will be too, so we've got six days to pick ourselves back up," Dew said.
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"We need to look at the reality of what guys did when the pressure came and who handled it, who didn't.
"How can we help? How can we train it? We've got to try and solve it rather than just sit there and say what happened and be an expert about what happened.
"We've got to get going on the solutions, so that's where our energy will go this week."
Suns co-captain Jarrod Witts was a late withdrawal before the St Kilda contest but is a chance to return against Fremantle.
"He was pretty sore on the back of his first three games," Dew said.
"We'll just see how he pulls up from his weekend and see if we can get the big fella moving early in the week."
Dew was full of praise for debutant Ned Moyle, who was the late inclusion for Witts and competed with Saints ruckman Rowan Marshall.
The Saints are flying high, but greater tests lie ahead, starting with a clash against flag fancies Collingwood next round.
"We're going to get challenged," coach Ross Lyon said post-match
"We're not going to go through undefeated, we understand that.
"But based on how we measure ourselves, we're pleased."
Lyon said the club had initially feared the worst for midfielder Jack Bytel, who injured his ankle just minutes after entering the game as the substitute in the fourth quarter.
"We felt sick in the box. We replayed it and thought it was an ACL," Lyon said.
"It's a high-grade ankle injury but until we scan it we don't know. We think there's no fracture."
