After returning to the SUNS’ line-up for his first game of the JLT Community Series, David Swallow didn’t miss a beat.

The midfielder’s style of footy was well suited to the wet conditions at Fankhauser Reserve, Southport Sharks and he played a big part in getting Gold Coast over the line for a seven-point victory. 

Of his 25 disposals, Swallow had 15 contested possessions as he showed plenty of intent in winning his own footy against the Lions.

The 25-year-old had plenty of support from his teammates, with Gold Coast winning the contested possession count 181-164, a clear indicator of their work during the pre-season.

“Absolutely, it’s probably the foundation of every team’s game. We want to be doing that better than everyone else,” Swallow told SUNS TV after the game.

“That’s something that we can hopefully continue to get better at during the year.”

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The heavy rain that fell throughout the match meant that conditions weren’t conducive to perfect football, but the SUNS adapted well.

For Swallow and his fellow midfielders, it was less a case of hitting a target with pinpoint accuracy, but more getting the ball forward and gaining as much territory as possible.

“When it’s like that you just have to get it in as quick as you can and give the forwards a chance.

“It’s obviously not going to be very pretty. 

“Obviously, you try and match up as well as you can around the stoppages and just get it forward.”

With the SUNS’ season opener in Cairns less than two weeks away, the focus for the team remains hard work on the training track.

Senior Coach Stuart Dew has called for his team to be more consistent and that is something the playing group are striving hard for.

“I think we certainly know how we want to play. In the first two games there’s been some good signs.

“As he (Dew) touched on during the week, it’s just going to be about backing it up and that consistency that we’ve lacked in the past.

“We’ll just continue to try and play the way that Dewy has been teaching us over the summer.”