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AAP
AAP
Sport
Ed Jackson

Suns aim to burn bright in final AFL weeks

Gold Coast's chances of making a maiden AFL finals appearance are hanging by a thread. (Jason O'BRIEN/AAP PHOTOS) (AAP)

Gold Coast co-captain Jarrod Witts insists the Suns are determined to pull off a miraculous charge for the AFL top eight over the final weeks of the season.

The Suns' hopes of a maiden finals campaign appear to be done and dusted after back-to-back losses to Essendon and Brisbane.

With four games to play, the 12th-placed Suns are eight points outside the finals positions with a inferior percentage to all of the teams above them.

It means even four wins from their last four fixtures may not be enough to reach the top eight but Witts says it will be important for the club to end an impressive campaign on a high.

"In our eyes we're still in for the hunt," Witts told AAP.

"We'll assess where we're at in a couple of weeks' time but it's important for us as a football club to finish the year out strong.

"It's publicised a fair bit about what's happened in the past and we know the importance around finishing off strong.

"Where that puts us? We'll find out in a month."

First-up in those closing fixtures is West Coast at Metricon Stadium on Sunday.

Defender Charlie Ballard is out for the season after picking up a knee injury in the Suns' loss to the Lions at the Gabba while Sam Flanders has been left out of Stuart Dew's 22 to take on the Eagles.

In their place, last year's No.5 draft pick Mac Andrew will debut while Malcolm Rosas Jnr is recalled.

The Eagles have been boosted by the return of Nic Naitanui with Willie Rioli, Connor West and Jack Petruccelle also come back for the visitors.

Witts said he was excited to take on another ruck battle with three-time All Australian Naitanui.

"He's been a quality player for a long time," Witts said.

"I've played with him since pretty much I started my career, all the way through, so you get to see where you're at every time you come up against quality players like him."

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