SUNS vice-captain Sam Collins says the current challenge facing the team is approaching the next week with the right mindset.

The SUNS were soundly beaten by Melbourne on the weekend, and have stayed down in Victoria ahead of an upcoming clash against Carlton.

Speaking to SUNS Media, Collins said the players needed to use the time on the road to focus on what was in their control and find a way to recapture their best form.

“I know myself personally, it takes you a little while to process what’s just happened when we get put to the sword like that,” Collins said.

“The boys are very flat but we need to work out how we’re going to get the best out of ourselves this week and how we’re going to respond against Carlton this weekend.

“We’ll recover well today and then we’ll get stuck into the meetings to make sure that we’ve got a clear gameplan.

“But individually, we can’t just stay in the rut, we need to get out here and make this trip worthwhile and the best way to do that is to play some good football.”

It was a whirlwind 48 hours for the team after the match, which was originally fixtured for Saturday at Metricon Stadium, had to be postponed due to the snap Queensland lockdown.

The match was eventually played on Sunday afternoon at Marvel Stadium after both teams boarded a plane to Melbourne.

With so much uncertainty around the country at the moment, Collins said himself and his teammates were just grateful to be able to continue to play.

“I think in perspective we’re just lucky to be able to play football every week,” Collins said.

“As a club and as a team we’re very grateful to have the opportunity to keep the season alive and be down here in Melbourne when others – our family and friends – are in lockdown up in Queensland.

“For a bit of perspective I think we’re quite lucky and I think that we need to get our chin off the ground, pick it all up and make sure that we’re going to make the most of this trip.”

It was just four weeks ago the SUNS were playing the type of football which Collins described as the best he’s seen in his time at the club.

The challenge for the group is to produce that standard in the final three games of the 2021 season.

“I’d love to see us just play the football we were playing two, three and four weeks ago,” Collins said.

“It was a really attacking brand of football and just really an enjoyable brand of football.

“I think we know we’re capable of it… now it’s just bouncing back to that level quicker.

“At the moment it’s taken six quarters so we need to fast-track that and make sure that we can get back to that level of competitiveness quicker.

“I’m really looking forward to a big three weeks, I think they’re going to be three big games for us as a club and I’m really looking forward to playing some quality football against some quality sides.”