Damien Hardwick says Gold Coast must “run straight through” the obstacle of Port Adelaide standing between it and a maiden Finals appearance next Friday night.

The SUNS had a chance to wrap up a spot in the eight against Greater Western Sydney on Saturday, but were thumped by 35 points, playing their worst game “for a long period of time”.

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It leaves them needing to defeat either Port or Essendon to cement a spot in September.

“We were beaten in all facets of the game, particularly contest and defence,” Hardwick said.

“I felt we were a metre off all day.

“When you’re that metre off you can’t compete and then good sides carve you up defensively. There was just so many things we didn’t get right today.

“You look across the ground and we didn’t have a lot of winners.

“You can analyse it to death, but what we’ve done throughout the year has been pretty consistent … today was nothing like that.”

With a six-day break before its next game, Gold Coast has little time to lick its wounds.

The match will be the farewell to both Ken Hinkley, who has coached Port for 13 seasons, and Travis Boak, who will run out for his 387th and final game.

It will be staged at Adelaide Oval - a venue at which Gold Coast has never won.

“We’ve overcome some great challenges and great obstacles this year,” Hardwick said.

“It’s not going around those obstacles, it’s going straight through them. That’s the only thing we can do.

“Kenny’s last game, he’s been an outstanding coach for a long time and Adelaide Oval hasn’t been a happy hunting ground. Let’s get two things done.

“There’s no better place to play than an away venue, hostile environment and then play your very best football. That’s what we’ll be looking to do this week.”