By Bick Berrett

All season Gold Coast SUNS coach Guy McKenna has defended his team after big losses and looked for positives in games where it seemed there were none.

However, in a game where the GC SUNS motivation should have been at its highest, McKenna was out of positives, with his team capitulating to the Brisbane Lions in the second QClash by 62 points.

It was not the margin that had the coach irate; it was the lack of effort which McKenna, for the first time this season, criticised.

"It is difficult to manufacture something when there is no effort and that was the biggest thing out of tonight," McKenna said.

"We spoke about doing the basics early tonight and I don't think we did that, I don't think there was any effort and there is not a lot we can get out of that.

"I thought in the first half, we probably made them look quick because we just couldn't go."

However, McKenna reserved praise for David Swallow after the midfielder finished with 19 touches and five hard-ball gets.

"There wasn't too many that flew the flag tonight, the one that stands out for me was certainly David Swallow," he said.

McKenna also hinted at following his words with actions, with players likely to be dropped before next week's clash against Adelaide.

"We have got some boys ready and willing to step up, some blokes that haven't had an opportunity will get an opportunity," he said.

"We keep going to the well but if blokes aren't prepared to have an effort then we need to get some players in there that are prepared to do so."

These players could include Brandon Matera, Luke Russell and Karmichael Hunt, who all impressed in the GC SUNS reserves' four-point loss against the Lions' seconds on Saturday.