By Michael Whiting

Gold Coast SUNS defender Jarrod Harbrow has warned his former Western Bulldogs teammates they are in for a far more competitive match on Saturday than their lopsided round three encounter.

On that occasion the Bulldogs romped to a comfortable 71-point win on a day when Gold Coast SUNS Campbell Brown was suspended for four weeks from two separate incidents.

It was just the GC SUNS second AFL match after coming off a 119-point hiding from Carlton.

But Harbrow - who played 70 matches over four seasons for the Bulldogs - said things had changed.

"I reckon we've improved a hell of a lot in all different areas. We're going to be a lot more competitive side than what you saw in round three and that starts from every player playing their role from the start," he said.

"You've got to get off to a good start and deflate the Bulldogs early, that'll be the key, get our hands on it first."

But that's a task the 22-year-old says is easier said than done.

Fresh from a victory over Adelaide, Harbrow believes the Bulldogs would have gained confidence and expects coach Rodney Eade to have them primed for a first-quarter ambush.

Harbrow said he was surprised at the Bulldogs (4-8) struggles this season but could sense things might be turning.

"I think we've got to start really well because they're going to come out firing. They'll want to get on top of us early and Rocket (Rodney Eade) will be driving that," Harbrow said.

"It's going to be a big match for us. We need to start well again and hold that. We can't just play for a half of footy again, that's just let us down too much."

Although the GC SUNS are struggling to play four consistent quarters and thus win games, they have excelled in winning contested footy.

"There's not many games where we've got wiped out of the game with contested footy," Harbrow said.

"We've got to find the balance between contested footy and the spread. We've definitely got guys that can win the ball on the inside, I think we just need to be smarter when we get the ball on the outside and get it to our forwards."