Jared Brennan led an inspired chase for the Gold Coast SUNS as they came desperately close to clawing back a 21-point half-time deficient in the side’s 2-point loss to the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night.

The 161-game livewire finished the heated QClash battle with 30 disposals and 11 clearances, and had the GC SUNS left Metricon Stadium with the four premiership points would have mighty close to snaring his second Marcus Ashcroft Medal.

Post-match, senior coach Guy McKenna praised Brennan’s attitude and work ethic on the ground, but admitted the inform-utility needed to maintain consistency if he is to cement his spot in the senior team.  

“There’s no doubt that he had some issues to overcome last year and that he’s trying to find consistency in his game,” said McKenna.

“He had a terrific game against his old side… but he continually needs to find that consistency because when he plays well we’re normally on the end of that.”

“Physically he’s not going to get any fitter or stronger, so it’s mentally where he needs to find that.”

After a roller-coaster 2012 campaign, which saw the Northern Territory product dropped twice form the senior team, Brennan trained the house down during the pre-season – and was voted by his teammates as the best performer at the club’s two-week high-altitude training camp in Arizona.  

“He’s gone and done what he had to over the pre-season to find that motivation,” McKenna said.

“It was a tough decision start him as the substitute last week but I thought Brandon (Matera) deserved his opportunity after his superb performance against St. Kilda.”

With McKenna’s former right-hand man Ken Hinkley and his charges in red-hot form after their 3-0 start to the 2013 AFL Season, McKenna is hoping Brennan will rise to the occasion when the GC SUNS host Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium this Saturday night.

“He did everything right to give him the chance to start this week so I’d like to think he’s going to come with the same intensity and effort against Port Adelaide this week.”