Despite Sunday's 38-point win over St Kilda, Gold Coast was not all smiles at Monday morning's recovery session, realising it has to be more ruthless to challenge the competition's best teams.

Returning ruckman Zac Smith described the victory as 'bitter' after the SUNS watched a 57-point half-time lead shrink in the second half.

The Saints ramped up their intensity and the visitors struggled to respond.

Smith, who successfully got through his first game in 12 months after a knee reconstruction, said it was the next step in Gold Coast's progression.

"It was disappointing," Smith said of the drop off in intensity.

"There's a bit of a bitter feeling about the win. It's a good thing because it means we've upped the standards of what we can play and what we can deliver on.

"It was disappointing that we dropped away, especially in that third quarter.

"It's one thing we're still trying to achieve as a club and as a group - we've got to keep pushing every single quarter and when we've got our foot on the throat, keep it there for the rest of the game."

Smith said he was sore after his return match, but the knee was fine, and he was just excited to be on the field again.

"I went into the game with no expectations, and the coaches said they just wanted me to compete and that was the mind-frame I went in with," he said.

"Anyone looking from the outside as a player would want to get in that team.

"I was very fortunate to jump straight back into the seniors and it was a pretty good feeling having a win and singing the song again."

Half-back Sean Lemmens was proppy after copping a kick to the calf and did even less than his teammates at the Nerang Aquatic Centre during the team’s recovery session.