GOLD Coast coach Damien Hardwick always felt Bailey Humphrey's freakish goal would be "difficult for the umpire to overturn" after the Suns' win over Greater Western Sydney.

Eight minutes into the final term, Humphrey was running into goal when Giants defender Lachie Ash brought him down with a tackle.

GIANTS v SUNS Full match coverage and stats

With the ball knocked loose, as Humphrey slid across the goal line, the back of his heel clipped the ball and the goal umpire paid a major. The crucial score stood on video review and the Suns went on to win by two points to snap a 10-game losing streak.

Hardwick acknowledged it was a close-run thing that the goal was allowed on video review.

"There was a clear view we saw - it came off his foot, he dragged it across the line," Hardwick said.

"We thought it was always difficult for the umpire to overturn. But trust me, as someone who's been on the end of those ones for a number of years and a number of times, sometimes it's swings and roundabouts.

"You just wear those ones."

Matt Rowell was the star of the show in wet conditions in Canberra, finishing with 40 disposals, 17 clearances and 16 tackles.

The Giants' loss means that are likely to miss the finals for the first time in Adam Kingsley's four seasons as coach.

While Kingsley joined Hardwick in lavishing praise on Rowell, the Giants coach held his tongue over the last-quarter goal that was as crucial as it was weird.

"I really don't know," Kingsley said of the goal.

"You guys (media) will need to make that assessment, on whether you thought it was a goal and whether all those non-decisions that weren't paid were there or not."

There was no argument from the coaches about Rowell's game.

"It's just one of those games where you go 'wow'. They're video-game numbers," Hardwick said.

Kingsley felt Toby Greene was able to quell Rowell to some extent in the final term. But he lamented the loss of Toby Bedford early in the game with a back injury, given he regularly plays as an effective tagger.

"He had a big game, didn't he?" Kingsley said. "He was enormous. We went through three different plans for him."

Hardwick hailed his players for keeping their focus during their 10-game losing streak, saying the lessons learned would pay off for the Suns.

"Their spirit has been unbelievable," he said. "To finally salute is a pleasing result.

"When you lose for a long time, sometimes you can't see where the next win comes from.

"What we do know is we have a great list that is capable of doing some special things. This year is a going to be a strong part of that journey in the next two to three years."

GWS is at least a game outside 10th spot, with only two rounds left.

"I don't know if it's impossible, but it's difficult now. That's the reality of it," Kingsley said of their top-10 hopes.