Gold Coast coach Guy McKenna says the Suns' expanded leadership group is further evidence of the AFL club's evolution from pretenders to contenders.
The Suns announced on Wednesday Brownlow medallist Gary Ablett will retain the club captaincy in 2014 alongside current vice-captains Nathan Bock and Michael Rischitelli.
But joining the trio will be youngsters Tom Lynch, Dion Prestia and David Swallow after the senior players elected the trio to join Bock and Rischitelli as leaders for the upcoming season.
McKenna believes the addition of Prestia, Swallow and Lynch, all 21, is another sign the club's young players are growing up.
"We had 14 to 16 boys nominate for leadership roles, there was clearly daylight after the sixth player," McKenna said.
"It's a good, balanced six as well. We've got the three existing leaders who've done a good job from the inception of the football club and now three younger fellas who have earned their stripes over three years of playing AFL football."
All three newcomers said they were eager to learn from the existing leadership trio of Ablett, Bock and Rischitelli.
Midfielder Prestia, one of the club's best in last year's breakthrough eight-win season, said he, Swallow and Lynch would all be taking an active part in their new roles.
"Us three can definitely learn a lot from them boys and it's probably really good because Bocky and Tommy are really similar players, while me and Dave are really similar to Gaz and Risch as well," Prestia said.
"All six of us working together it's going to be really good because there's younger boys and there's older boys so we're going to have control pretty much of the whole club.
"It's really exciting."
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