EXCITING Gold Coast small forward Brandon Matera hopes to spark the Suns back to life when he returns from six weeks on the sidelines against Melbourne on Sunday.

After a blazing start to the season that saw him win a NAB Rising Star nomination in round five, Matera has been hampered by persistent groin problems in the second half of the season.

He played the club's first eight matches, then sat out four with injury, and returned for rounds 15 and 16 against Fremantle and Sydney Swans where he aggravated the problem again.

But the 19-year-old dynamo will return against the Demons at the MCG and is intent on providing a lift to the sputtering Suns.

Gold Coast is coming off successive 10-goal losses against the Brisbane Lions and Adelaide and has looked flat late in their first season.

"I just hope to play a role and hopefully can do something to spark the team if I have to," Matera said.

"I'd love to get out there and get a few kicks and snag a couple [of goals] but as long as the team goes well and gets the win on the board."

Matera said he could not wait to play his second match on the MCG after playing an under-16 Grand Final there in 2008.

He said the ongoing groin niggles had been a frustration after a start to the season that saw him kick 11 goals in his first six matches.

"It's annoying, all injuries are annoying," he said.

"You've jus got to take it and cop it on the chin and take the rest and come back like I have.

"Coming up through the reserves helped get my confidence up. Hopefully I can take that [confidence] on the weekend. My body is feeling heaps better than last time I came back."

Matera is one of seven new faces in the team that lost against the Crows last week.

Josh Caddy and Jacob Gillbee are in line to make their debuts, while ruckman Zac Smith and midfielder Sam Iles have been included on an extended seven-man interchange bench after missing last week.