Wil Powell says Gold Coast players are taking responsibility for the team’s poor season, despite coach Damien Hardwick trying to shoulder the blame at the weekend.

In a pre-match interview before Sunday’s drought-breaking win over Greater Western Sydney, Hardwick conceded he hadn’t had a good year as coach.

“I’ve gone away a little bit from my philosophy,” he said.

“I lay the blame firmly with me. I tried to see the game evolve, and it didn’t quite work.”

The SUNS then eked out a two-point victory over the Giants to snap a 10-game losing streak.

Speaking ahead of facing Brisbane on Saturday, Powell, who is in the club’s leadership group, said good coaches like Hardwick took responsibility, but it was much broader than that.

“That responsibility is on the players as well,” Powell said on Tuesday.

“We haven’t been as good as we could be. He’s only part of it, but we’re the main part because we’re the ones that kick the ball around.”

Off the back of making a maiden finals appearance in 2025, Gold Coast has won just eight of its 21 games this season to be arguably the competition’s biggest disappointment.

Powell said Sunday’s win was a “sigh of relief” following the lengthy losing streak.

“It’s a test of resilience and we are a resilient group,” he said.

“It’s hard for anyone to keep their head up and their chin up after so many losses and keep a positive attitude. It really does test you.

“That’s when you really learn a lot about yourself and the things you are capable of.

“It might not have been the prettiest win, but we just stuck to what we know … it was gritty, not pretty.”

Powell will play his 150th game on Saturday after being a shock 19th selection in the 2017 AFL Draft as a skinny, largely unproven product from Western Australia.

“I came in as a raw, immature 18-year-old that hadn’t stepped foot in a professional environment day to day,” he said.

“It was a rude awakening for me when I first got to the club.

“I’m forever grateful for what this club has given me.”