Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna refuses to give up hope of a dream finals berth, but also refuses to discuss such a prospect with his young team.

Following the SUNS' comprehensive 39-point loss to Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Saturday – a defeat that further dents their faint September hopes – McKenna was determined to ensure his players focused on more immediate goals.

The ninth-placed SUNS are level on 10 wins with Essendon (seventh) and Collingwood (eighth) but trail considerably on percentage.

To have any chance of making the finals, they will most likely have to win each of their remaining games against Port Adelaide (home), Essendon (away) and West Coast (home).

"We spoke about that before the game," McKenna said post-match. "We said, 'Forget results. The only result we're interested in is (the result of) our actual first contest …

"Injuries, and the wear and tear of a group (in its) fourth year in the AFL, certainly has bitten. We're slowly trying to come out of that period …

"We've just got to fight our way through it. We spoke about it after the Brisbane Lions loss ...

"The results will be the results; we just have to take care of our own results and let the cards fall. If they turn up, we're in; if we're not, we're not.

"These boys are just finding their way. Last year we won eight games, right now we've won 10 games, so there's been some steps forward, and they have to learn the level of intensity you have to maintain for a long period of time."

McKenna said he was most disappointed in his team's contested-ball numbers, lack of execution and over-use of handball.

However, he gave his players a pass mark for effort, despite the general consensus being that the visitors lacked spark.

When it was suggested his team hadn't "come to play", McKenna defended his players.

"I wouldn't have thought that," he said. "Credit goes to Carlton's pressure too.

"They came to play today, they gave their all, but they just lacked that polish."

He bemoaned a lack of onfield leaders, especially after Michael Rischitelli was substituted out of the game in the second quarter with a corked hip.

"We (had) Jarrod Harbrow and Danny Stanley and Greg Broughton  (to) fly the flag for the rest of the group. It's a big load on those three as our experienced boys," he said.

"One of them is 25 years of age and the rest of the team are basically 22 and 23-year-olds. At some stage it's going to come and bite you somewhere."

McKenna was satisfied with the output of only a handful of his players, one of whom was young big man Tom Lynch, who overcame a slow start to gather a career-high 24 possessions, including an equal game-high 15 contested, nine marks and kicked 1.2.

"He was probably beaten early by (Sam) Rowe and we threw him down back, but (with) his work-rate he's certainly a tower of strength," McKenna said.

"We threw him down back because (Jarrad) Waite was getting hold of Steven May. His work down back and then going forward again was super."

McKenna was hopeful that concussed defender Trent McKenzie would be cleared to face Port Adelaide.