Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna is relishing the fear his maturing midfielders are instilling in opponents in the GC SUNS' fourth year.

Skipper Gary Ablett led by example as usual with three goals, two assists, 10 tackles and 38 touches in Saturday's emphatic QClash victory.  But it said everything about his fellow midfielders that Ablett faced competition for the Marcus Ashcroft Medal.

David Swallow continued his superb start to the season in the 53-point win against the Lions, and Jaeger O'Meara played the best game of his sophomore campaign so far. Dion Prestia, Jarrod Harbrow and Michael Rischitelli were also a dynamic presence.

For opponents it is a scary prospect that Harley Bennell and Jack Martin could be added to this line-up in the second half of the season.

"We've got such a core group of ballistic mids; if they can get outside and use their legs it's frightening, it's really exciting," McKenna said. 

"In the first few years, we could have had (64-year-old former great) Malcolm Blight in the forward half and it wouldn't have changed a lot.

"(The forwards) are getting more opportunity and better opportunity and that helps a lot."

McKenna admitted to being worried about the effect of a cross-country flight after witnessing their round two conqueror Fremantle's lacklustre display on Friday night.

"I was nervous watching the Fremantle-Hawthorn game looking at Fremantle's intensity ... (thinking) about how our boys would physically take up the challenge. 

"I couldn't fault their effort in the first half and after half-time we started to get reward for that effort."

McKenna praised the contributions of former Port Adelaide coach Matthew Primus and high performance manager Stephen Schwerdt on the SUNS' mproving midfield.

"Matty Primus has been fantastic. An ex-senior coach coaching your midfield – that's got to help," McKenna said. 

"They're big enough now. Stephen Schwerdt has put them through a second pre-season.

"We've now got the engines to cover the whole ground. Before we only had the engines to cover three-quarters of the ground."

McKenna's captain emphasised that mental maturity has played as big a part as physical development in the SUNS' performance level.

"After their fourth pre-season, they're understanding how professional you have to be and how hard you have to be," Ablett said.