Gold Coast SUNS coach Guy McKenna has lauded his club’s re-signing of emerging star Harley Bennell and said his young group is “like a band of brothers”.

22-year-old Bennell put pen to paper this week on a deal which will see him remain at the GC SUNS until the end of 2017.

His re-signing follows on from several teammates who have committed to the club in recent months, and McKenna believes the brotherhood developed over a couple of tough initial seasons in the AFL has helped to keep the team together moving forward.

“We can’t forget the first couple of seasons of the football club,” McKenna said.

“That journey was tough and brutal on the boys. Now they’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“I think they now appreciate where this club is heading and they want to be a part of it.”

Bennell was part of an outfit which won just six games over the 2011 and 2012 AFL seasons and McKenna said his young charges now wanted “payback”.

“They’ve had their backsides kicked, if you like, for two years, and they want to have payback.

“They want to make sure this group sticks together.

“It’s like a band of brothers.

“What was our great disadvantage will soon become our great advantage.”