Despite struggling in front of goal for a second-straight AFL match, Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick is confident Ben King will bounce back.
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After a day to forget last weekend against GWS, it seemed things were set up for the Suns spearhead to get back on track against an undermanned Brisbane Lions backline on Saturday.
With all of Brisbane's tall defenders sidelined, King found his direct opponent to be none other than Eric Hipwood at People First Stadium.
It should've been all the man who sits second on the Suns' all-time goalscorer list needed to fire after the horror show against the Giants, where King failed to kick a single goal from seven attempts.
Instead he missed four more shots at goal in Gold Coast's 28-point loss to the Lions before finally nailing a major following an impressive mark on Lion Ryan Lester.
King now has 46 goals for the season but Suns coach Damien Hardwick admits - like a golfer with a bout of the notorious yips - something has gone awry over the past fortnight.
It isn't however causing Hardwick serious concern, safe in the knowledge the 24-year-old is still fronting up and creating opportunities.
"His momentum is not going in the right direction. He knows that. He'll refine that and he'll get better," Hardwick said.
"One thing I will say, at least he's putting himself in a position to have shots. He isn't hitting the scoreboard but he's in a pretty good place I reckon Kingy.
"It's like a little bit of a golf swing. It takes a little bit of refinement at training and then he'll kick them in a game.
"Sometimes things go skew-whiff. We need him to be hitting the scoreboard but he is getting the shots which is a pleasing thing."
Australian Associated Press
