Two years ago, the loss of Gary Ablett to season-ending shoulder surgery might have been catastrophic for Gold Coast, but coaching advisor Malcolm Blight is among those singing the praises of Guy McKenna’s now capable midfield.

The AFL great has full faith in the club’s midfield depth, which features the likes of prime movers David Swallow, Dion Prestia, Jaeger O’Meara, Harley Bennell and first-year dynamo Jack Martin.

“Obviously it’s a pretty big out but I guess the thing is the rest of the midfield have been terrific and you can just see develop every day, as good teams do. You always look forward to a game of footy, but this one has got a bit on it,” Blight told The Herald Sun.

“One game never tells you everything but we will see how it goes. I think the boys have been pulling their weight very well and I think they can continue it. Gary has been fantastic for us. We will certainly miss him, but everyone just needs to (lift) half a per cent.”

Any team in the competition would thrive as having any one of those five as the centre piece to their on-ball division.

Averaging 18 disposals per game, Prestia is in a rich vein of form, while Swallow and O’Meara also rank inside the top 50 for disposals.

Bennell is back to his creative, play-making best while Martin is beginning to show fans across the country why he was highly sought after and pinned as the pre-season favourite for this year’s AFL Rising Star award.

Their first real test without their leading captain will come this Saturday in the form of the Western Bulldogs, and Blight was forward in his view of the player’s approach to this weekend.

“It might look like that on paper, but I can assure you no one at the SUNS will (take them lightly). We have come from a long way back,’’ he said.

“We would rather not be tested without him, but we will just get on with it.”