Gold Coast SUNS Senior Coach Stuart Dew was left to lament a number of missed opportunities going forward as the SUNS went down by 26-points in their Round 5 loss to the Saints at Marvel Stadium.

Speaking to the media post-match on Saturday afternoon Dew admitted that the SUNS just couldn’t quite get the game going their way for long enough.

“St Kilda had it on their terms for a lot of the game, we kept nagging and nagging without actually getting our game going,” Dew said.

“We hung in but we were just battling away rather than arresting momentum and getting our game going, not through lack of trying.

Dew reiterated his message to the playing group post-game.

“We're not walking out of Marvel Stadium scratching our head’s wondering where did we lose that game?

“We were pretty clear that we were beaten in and around our contest shape, which then puts pressure on your defence.

The flipside, it gives the entire team a key focus for the week ahead.

“That will be the key part for us to focus on, in and around the contest and clearly what happens next from stoppage.

“They gained a lot of meters and clearly hit the scoreboard from stoppage but that's a whole team thing, a whole team focus for the week ahead.”

The difference between the SUNS in previous years and this year is clear to see.

“Today game wasn't going well, but we didn't pack it in. The game wasn't going well against GWS we fought it out.

“Now is that the position we want to be in? No, but we came up against a red hot Carlton and we're able to get the result.

“We went to Perth, won a game we should have, we pushed the reigning premier Melbourne right to the end and we learnt a fair bit from that.”

Dew and his coaching staff will now turn their attention to an Anzac Day Eve QClash against the Brisbane Lions.

SUNS Members and fans must be buoyed by what they have seen from their team so far in 2022 and will be looking for them to return to winning ways against their Queensland rivals.