The Gold Coast SUNS have named their strongest squad of the NAB Challenge series for Friday night’s clash with local rival Brisbane. In the final full dress rehearsal ahead of round one, a host of household names returns for the SUNS on the eve of the home and away season.
Midfield jigsaw puzzle coming together
Ball magnet Dion Prestia put an injury-interrupted pre-season behind him last weekend by getting some much needed minutes into his body in the NEAFL practice match against Southport. On Friday night he will rejoin David Swallow in the centre of the ground and begin what could be a long and prosperous partnership with extractor Mitch Hallahan. The ex-Hawk was the SUNS' best player in the NEAFL practice match last Saturday and will be looking to round out an impressive debut summer at Metricon Stadium against the Lions. With Gary Ablett and Jaeger O'Meara still to return in the coming weeks, Gold Coast's on-ball brigade is rapidly edging towards the top echelon in the game. Especially when you throw Harley Bennell and Jack Martin into that area of the ground in short bursts.
Lions on-ball brigade roaring again
The Brisbane Lions are treating Friday night’s final NAB Challenge affair as a full dress rehearsal ahead of their round one clash with Collingwood at the Gabba. With the exception of the injured Pearce Hanley - who will miss the first half of the season following hip surgery, Justin Leppitsch has chosen a full strength squad to make the trip down the M1. Former Geelong premiership star Allen Christensen will make his first appearance for his new club after overcoming back surgery that cruelled his final year at the Cattery. The ex-Cat headed north at the end of last season with Collingwood star Dayne Beams and controversial Carlton bull terrier Mitch Robinson. After five of their young guns walked out on the club at the end of 2013, the Lions have gone a long way to rebuilding their list in one off-season. Classy left footer Daniel Rich is two games into his comeback from a full knee reconstruction and is starting to look like his damaging self.
May and Thompson back in the nick of time
Steven May and Rory Thompson are back for their first NAB Challenge game of the pre-season. After emerging as one of the competition's best defensive pairings last season, the key posts have endured a frustrating couple of months with May undergoing minor knee surgery to repair a meniscus tear and Thompson battling a soft tissue problem. Their absence has allowed Jack Leslie and Henry Schade to prove their capability to step in when required. It would now appear the SUNS have quality depth at their disposal in the key posts down back. Ahead of round one, the SUNS back six will get an invaluable opportunity to go to work together for the first time as a unit. Prized recruit Nick Malceski, rookie revelation Adam Saad, Trent McKenzie, Kade Kolodjashnij and May form one of the most damaging defensive units by foot in the game.
With no Lynch and no Dixon, different avenues to goal must be unearthed
One thing is certain come round one; Tom Lynch won't be there. Nor will fellow spearhead Charlie Dixon. So Rodney Eade and the coaching department must find alternative avenues to goal. Melbourne's all-out defensive mindset under Paul Roos means Gold Coast might not need a truckload of goals, but someone has to kick them. On Friday night, the absence of Lynch and Dixon will provide an insight into how and where the goals are going to come from in a fortnight’s time. Draftees Jarrod Garlett and Touk Miller have played the opening two NAB Challenge matches, looking confident and poised at the level. Garlett kicked two majors against Geelong in Townsville, whilst Miller has carved out a niche as a defensive forward. His harassment of the opposition has not been lost inside the four walls at Metricon Stadium, with the tenacious half-forward closing in on a round one debut. Harley Bennell is a proven goal kicker and could be relied on to contribute to the SUNS goal tally in the opening part of the season. And Jack Martin demonstrated his nous infront of goal in the final round of last season when he booted four goals against the West Coast Eagles.
Ruck combination face a tough test in Leuenberger/ Martin combination
Zac Smith v Tom Nicholls. This has been the topic of widespread media debate in the last couple of months. The common train of thought was only one could fit into a starting 22. But, with Lynch and Dixon out for round one, Rodney Eade has dropped his first hint that both Smith and Nicholls could play against the Demons. And for that matter, the pair could play in the same 22 even with a fit Dixon and an eligible Lynch. The duo has been plagued by injury in recent years and will undoubtedly be looking to put together a full season in 2015. On Friday night, quality opposition awaits in Matthew Leuenberger and Stefan Martin. The former is on the recovery trail himself having missed all but five games in 2014, but his ruck craft quality is undisputed. For Martin, this time last year he was simply a journeyman, at risk to be lost to the game. On the back of his final three months of football where he averaged 22.4 possessions and 28.2 hitouts, the former Demon utility has found a position on the ground that best utilises his athleticism. The Leuenberger-Martin combination presents a great final assignment for the SUNS' big men ahead of the premiership season.
