Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has slammed the umpiring after the Suns’ four-point loss to Port Adelaide.
In the last game for Port Adelaide duo Travis Boak and coach Ken Hinkley, the Power won (10.11) 71 to (9.13) 67 at a rowdy Adelaide Oval.
The loss means the Suns lost top-four hopes and now need to beat Essendon next Wednesday to book their first finals campaign in their history
After losing the free kick count 33-16, Suns coach Damien Hardwick offered a short but pointed response about the umpires being influenced by the crowd and the last games of Boak and Hinkley.
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“I thought the umpires got caught up in the emotion of the game. It can happen,” Hardwick said in his post-match press conference.
Hardwick explained the players won't need any more motivation to win against 15th-placed Essendon with a finals place up for grabs.
“You’re playing for a finals campaign. If you need me to sit there and give you a motivational speech to want to play your first finals campaign in our organisation’s history, then you’re playing the wrong game,” he said.
"Our players have got to pick themselves up, they’ve got to lead from the front, they’re going to take charge. I’m going to hand it over to them, and we’re going to see what this group is made of because they are made out of something special."
Power forward Mitch Georgiades kicked four goals while Port midfielders Zak Butters and Connor Rozee gathered 35 and 34 disposals respectively.
In his 387th and final game for the Power, Travis Boak had 22 disposals and five clearances.