Gold Coast spearhead Ben King has inspired the Suns to a hard-fought 19-point win over Carlton on Saturday night.

The Suns looked set for a big win until the Blues came to life in the final term with five goals to reduce the margin to just 13 points.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Ben King takes mark of the year contender.

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But with finals on the line,King stepped up with a clutch set shot from the boundary to seal the 13.15 (93) to 11.8 (74) victory.

The goal was his sixth of the night, which matched his career high.

But it wasn’t even the highlight of his night after he earlier took the likely mark of the year over a Lachie Young.

King appeared to have launched too early, but managed to stay in the air before hanging onto the memorable grab.

“One of the marks of the year. I thought he’d gone too early - and he just hung and hung and hung,” Mark Howard said in commentary.

Garry Lyon added: “That is unbelievable!”

The 25-year-old’s fourth bag of five or more goals this season gives him a career-best tally of 57 this year.

Carlton started strongly with three of the first four goals, but Gold Coast flexed their muscle with 11 of the next 13 to blow the game open.

Just two days after Michael Voss was backed by the Carlton board to coach into 2026, the Blues just couldn’t go with the power-packed Suns on the outside.

Small forward Francis Evans was Carlton’s surprise ace with four goals, doubling his season tally in a performance that could earn him another contract.

Star midfielder Matt Rowell (30 disposals, 10 clearances) was typically busy, but Suns captain Noah Anderson was kept quiet by Carlton youngster Cooper Lord’s tagging job.

Since being flogged by Adelaide three weeks ago, Gold Coast have hit back with thumping wins against the Brisbane Lions, Richmond and now Carlton.

It would take an almighty capitulation for the Suns not to play finals for the first time, ending a 15-season wait after entering the AFL in 2011.

Moving to 14-6, Gold Coast have a game in hand on the rest of the finals contenders due to their rescheduled game against Essendon to complete the home-and-away season.

The Suns host GWS in the most important expansion derby next Saturday, before an away clash with Port Adelaide five days before they play the decimated Bombers at People First Stadium.

- With AAP