By Michael Whiting
Gold Coast SUNS coach Guy McKenna says he can see his young team maturing in front of him after an inspired display against Fremantle on Saturday night.
Gold Coast played without captain Gary Ablett (ankle), deputy vice-captain Michael Rischitelli (ankle) and in-form defender Jarrod Harbrow (elbow) for a second straight week.
And things only got worse against Freo when vice-captain Nathan Bock was stretchered off with a broken leg in the first quarter.
It left Gold Coast with just three players with more than 30 games of experience on the field, but they were relentless in the seven-point loss.
"The group's grown over the last two weeks considering the lack of leadership and senior players out there," McKenna said.
"These boys can now understand they're big enough to stand their ground and that's pleasing, and that's the lesson we've been able to learn without Gary and Michael Rischitelli and now Bocky.
"For the boys to stand their ground, they've certainly matured over the last two weeks. Great credit to them."
One of the youngest Suns to stand tall was David Swallow, who battled for more than half the match with an ankle injury.
Swallow was taken to the dressing room late in the second quarter but returned in the third and played in the forward line for the rest of the match under duress.
He finished with 16 disposals and three goals.
McKenna said Swallow showed just why he was named in Gold Coast's leadership group earlier this year.
"It must be something about Western Australians because we sent him forward when he tweaked his ankle and we constantly got these messages about him wanting to play in the midfield," he said.
"He's a competitor. He's following in the footsteps of Gary (Ablett).
"He's a combative footballer and he wants to win and he'll do anything to do so, and some of the time it's at the detriment of his body so we have to be very mindful because he's a very young boy, so we have to look after him as best we can."
McKenna said Swallow was a 50-50 chance of playing against GWS in Canberra next week.
Another player in the Suns' leadership group who led from the front was ever-improving Karmichael Hunt, who had 22 disposals, a match-high 10 hard ball gets and six clearances, plus his second AFL goal.
"For a bloke that hasn't played a lot of football, he's directing, organising, to get the structures right, is unbelievable," McKenna said.
"Naturally the spirit, he just loves playing with these young fella and showing the way. He's designed with his powerful body for quick hands and quick feet. He's taken on the responsibility."
