If you thought the injury situation at Metricon Stadium couldn’t get anymore bleak, think again. Rookie revelation Adam Saad and key defender Rory Thompson have both been ruled out of making the trip to Perth to face the West Coast Eagles, whilst spearhead Tom Lynch is also in serious doubt.

The trio join an embarrassment of riches on the sidelines, with captain Gary Ablett, Jaeger O’Meara, David Swallow, Nick Malceski, Jack Martin, Sam Day and Steven May all unavailable. To highlight the extent of the casualty ward at the Gold Coast SUNS, Rodney Eade revealed only 20 players could train on Tuesday.

Issues regarding effort, intensity and leadership have all been raised during Eade’s short tenure at the SUNS, but without more than half of the best 22 available, his task has been nigh on impossible during the opening six rounds of 2015.

Eade categorically ruled out Thompson with a hip complaint and Saad with a minor hamstring strain. Although still a chance, Lynch is unlikely to make the trip across the country as he battles a calf problem. The veteran coach admitted he has never seen an injury epidemic like this in his time in football.

"The injury stick is hitting us. It's not just hitting us, it's bludgeoning us at the moment. I think we're getting smacked,” Eade told reporters at press conference on Tuesday morning.

“If it wasn’t so bad, you would be just laughing about it all the time. Just really the amount of players, we’ve only got 20 that can train today.

“You could probably make a case with Thompson and Saad out this weekend, and Lynch, it's probably a dozen out of your best 22 are out. Probably 12 of your best 15.

“With all due respects I don’t think many sides would cope with that too much, especially such a young group.”

The injury plague that has engulfed the Gold Coast has not discriminated, with all areas of the ground emphatically affected. With West Coast boasting Coleman Medal leader Josh Kennedy inside attacking 50, the SUNS' defensive depth will be severely tested on Saturday night.

“Obviously Steven’s [May] is not playing and Rory [Thompson] won’t play. The two key tall backs and obviously Sam Day is the third one. All of them are unavailable,” Eade said.

“So it’s a fairly daunting task for whoever we put down there because Josh Kennedy is obviously in very good form, he’s a good player. As a match committee we’ll have some sleepless nights on that and some big discussions.”