Jarryd Lyons says he has "no regrets" leaving Adelaide and hopes Gold Coast can claim a big scalp with a win over his former team at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
Lyons left the Crows at the end of last season, seeking greener pastures with the SUNS, and after a slow start, has fitted in nicely.
The 24-year-old has had to wait until just round five to play Adelaide, and says he expects a bit of banter from his former teammates in the lead-up to the game.
"It's exciting really," he told AFL.com.au.
"It will be good to come up against the blokes I've played a lot of footy with - nerve-racking as well.
"It was a pretty close club, I got along with everyone."
Lyons said despite keeping in touch with a number of Crows, including Brodie Smith, Daniel Talia and Rory Laird, he was not second-guessing his move north.
"I've made the decision and I'll live with that," he said.
"No regrets at all. It's been great up here.
"I've really enjoyed the first pre-season and first few games up here."
After an Achilles injury slowed down his JLT Community Series campaign, Lyons was quiet in the first fortnight of the season before blossoming in Gold Coast's past two wins.
He said with so many new faces in the midfield, including ruckman Jarrod Witts, Michael Barlow, Pearce Hanley and re-instating David Swallow and Gary Ablett post-injuries, it took a little while to jell.
And the Crows provide another stiff test, particularly as the SUNS will be without key defenders Steven May (hamstring) and Rory Thompson (quad).
"I think it's pretty obvious their forward line is one of the best in the competition, so if you can limit the supply, or make it more of a dirty ball and not such easy entries, that's one way of stopping them I think," he said.
"It's up to the mids, and our forwards as well, to prevent that.
"We certainly don't want to just be competitive, we want to win.
"Personally it's a big thing, but putting that aside, to take a big scalp for this footy club would be a big step.
"It would do us wonders.
"We want to win the respect of the AFL and there's no better way to do that than beat the in-form top side."
