When Steven May received a three-game suspension for his bump on Brisbane’s Tom Rockliff, and then Rory Thompson succumbed to a hip injury, the Gold Coast SUNS defensive stocks looked particularly bare. Henry Schade had only debuted in the game against the Lions, whilst Jack Leslie had played just the two senior games at the tail end of last season.
 
But now, with May set to return after serving his ban, the invaluable growth Schade and Leslie have received in the past few weeks will undoubtedly help fast track their development. Without May and Thompson’s absence, the pair would have been left to serve their apprenticeship in the NEAFL, starved from exposure to elite opposition and the steep learning curve that comes with it.
 
May’s absence in the last three weeks has forced Rodney Eade and the coaching department at Metricon Stadium to entrust enormous jobs on raw, inexperienced kids. And whilst they have had goals kicked on them and looked vulnerable at times, the pair fought gallantly throughout the testing time.
 
“Jacky Leslie and Henry Schade have had to come in against Josh Kennedy, Taylor Walker and Travis Cloke. What a time to get suspended with those three big boys coming through,” May told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday morning.
 
“I felt a little bit guilty, but also it’s been a great opportunity for them. What better way to learn than just get out there in front of everyone and have to play. It’s a tough environment.
 
“I remember when I made my debut at full-back – we were 15 goals down in the first quarter against Essendon. So I know how it feels to be under the pump, but you’re only going to get better from it.
 
“Once we get out of this situation, they’re going to be better players in the long run after facing how many inside 50s they’ve faced and contests they’ve been involved in. Once we get better as a group they’re not going to have to go through that again.”
 
Internally, the growth of Schade and Leslie has been particularly noticeable during the last few weeks. The SUNS now have much greater depth in the defensive key posts than they did three weeks ago.
 
There is no doubt that it would have been preferable to have these players supported by one of either May or Thompson, or even both of them, but nothing is ever ideal in this game.
 
“Externally it’s a bit hard to notice because they don’t know the players individually,” May said.
 
“But those two boys they were just having good and bad games at NEAFL level, and now they’ve come in and they’ve been serviceable. We can’t ask much more from them.

“They’ve won a lot of contests, but they’ve also lost some but that is to be expected.”