Over the last two years as David Swallow sat in the stands, worked away in rehabilitation or visited another specialist, all he hoped for was to run out with the Gold Coast SUNS once again.

The top draft pick in the 2010 national draft had effectively missed the previous two years due to a chronic knee complaint and a subsequent soft tissue issue when he stepped out against Greater Western Sydney in round 2.

Swallow, who was the SUNS’ Club Champion in 2014 in his last full season, performed soundly against GWS in round 2 to gather 21 disposals but admitted it was a reality check to return in a defeat of such magnitude.

“Probably you think you have done a lot of work and you back yourself, but you never really know until you have got out there and last week was a bit of a shock when GWS came out and whacked us in my first game back,” Swallow told The Australian.

The Gold Coast’s response last Sunday round three performance was stunning, with the SUNS recording their biggest ever win to defeat Hawthorn by 86 points.

Swallow was at the heart of the resurgence, gathering 22 disposals as a driving force in the middle when the match was in the balance in the opening half.

He finished with 34 disposals, a tally he has topped just once in his 81-game career, in his second match back.

More importantly, he celebrated a victory for the first time since round 14, 2015.

“I have been watching footy for a couple of years and let me tell you, it is a much better feeling being out there and amongst it,” he said.

“It was a great response by the boys. Obviously we were in a bad way after last week’s game … but we responded in the best way possible, so full credit to the boys and the coaching staff.

“We have had some good form in the pre-season and we felt like … we went away from that contested side of the game. We were laying off bodies, we weren’t pressuring sides well enough, so we just thought we would go back to basics, do a bit of hard work.”

The 24-year-old admitted he would always need to manage the knee which saw him miss two years of football, but believes the more matches he can play in succession, the better he will be.

“I still have to look after my knee and manage it as best as I can,” he said.

“The main thing is playing each weekend, getting a bit of rhythm, just getting up each week and playing, that is my biggest aim.

“I am still on a journey and I still have a long way to go in terms of getting my body match-fit and hardened again. That is the challenge for me now, to back up this performance.”

The SUNS now turn their attention to Carlton, who they will face Saturday night at Etihad Stadium.

“We just have to bring that pressure, that intensity every week and that will give us a chance every week,” he said.

“That has to be a real focus, just to not let up now.”