Other teams have kept Gold Coast in the hunt for the top eight with several results going in favour of the SUNS in recent weeks, but midfielder Jesse Lonergan said his team wants to control its own destiny in the last fortnight of the home and away season.

Wins against Essendon and West Coast will give the GC SUNS every opportunity to play finals football, but a slip-up in either game will almost certainly put them out of the running for September action.

Lonergan said the team had to do its job and secure the eight points on offer, then let the finals equation take care of itself.

“There’s four or five sides fighting for those last two spots in the eight,” Lonergan said. “We definitely want to put our hands up for those last two spots.

“Our focus is there’s two weeks left in the main season and we just want to finish off strong and get two wins and control what we can control.

“Essendon’s a good side. They’re, I guess, in that bracket with us and we definitely need to get a win.”

The loss to Carlton in round 20 was the SUNS’ first at the venue this season after posting wins over North Melbourne and St Kilda earlier in the season.

Despite that defeat at the hands of the Blues, Lonergan believed the ground still suited his team’s brand of football.

“It helps our game style. We like to play hard, fast footy.

“Good deck, great conditions. Hopefully we can use our pace and hardness at the footy to our advantage.”