No Gold Coast player was spared in a lengthy honesty session following Saturday night's embarrassing 120-point loss to Geelong.
The SUNS' leadership group took charge in the two-hour review on Monday morning, giving players the chance to speak frankly with one another.
Everyone from skipper Gary Ablett to first-year player Mackenzie Willis was in the firing line.
"Everyone had the opportunity to give it and everyone received some," SUNS football manager Marcus Ashcroft told AFL.com.au.
In what was arguably the worst loss in coach Rodney Eade's 28-game tenure, Gold Coast lost the disposal count by 139, clearances by 18 and inside 50s by 28.
Ashcroft said the review was longer than usual – and it needed to be.
"We know the result is unacceptable and everyone feels embarrassed," he said.
"We needed to sit through it, take the learnings and make sure we bounce back.
"There's no point having a thorough review … if there's no response.
"The message is, if you can't bring effort and intensity you won't play."
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Gold Coast won its first three matches – admittedly against strugglers Essendon, Fremantle and Carlton – on the back of pressure around the contest and good transition with the ball.
In two of the past three losses against the Brisbane Lions and Geelong, that effort has been missing.
"At end of day, if we're competitive, you'll notice that," Ashcroft said.
"It was non-existent at the weekend. We capitulated. There was no fight and that's what our players were most embarrassed about."
Ashcroft said Thursday's main training session would contain a "physical element".
He said despite an injury toll that included midfielders David Swallow, Jaeger O'Meara and Michael Rischitelli, along with defenders Rory Thompson, Trent McKenzie and suspended Steven May, there were no excuses.
McKenzie was cleared of an ankle break on Monday but will have an MRI with the expected outcome that he will miss two to three weeks with a strain.
Sam Day is expected to play Melbourne on Saturday despite nursing a sore back, while running defender Adam Saad is also a likely return from a hip injury.
