Gold Coast hope they've done enough to convince Dion Prestia and Jaeger O'Meara to stick around but coach Rodney Eade says the off-contract midfielders have given no hints as to their future.
Prestia and O'Meara won't play again this year due to injury and must decide whether they will accept contract offers from the Suns, or opt for a fresh start in the AFL next year.
Both players have been heavily courted by interstate clubs and Eade admitted he had no sense of which way they might go.
"They're playing their cards pretty close to their chest at the moment," Eade said.
"Obviously those guys are going to make decisions on what they think is best for their future.
News that makes sense
Your trusted source for staying up-to-date with the world around you. Get free daily news updates and analysis, straight to your inbox.
"We want them to stay and we've spoken to them about that. Hopefully they can see there is a very positive future.
"If we can have an even run at it with injuries, I think we can compete with the best sides in the competition."
O'Meara underwent clean-up surgery on his knee in Melbourne on Thursday and has not played a senior game since 2014.
He has been previously linked to Sydney while Richmond and Carlton reportedly lead the interest in Prestia.
Gold Coast's other long-term midfield casualty, David Swallow, is set to make his first appearance of the year in a reserves game this weekend.
Swallow, whose contract with the Suns runs to the end of 2017, is trying to overcome a knee issue that has kept him to just six AFL games in the past two seasons.
Not that the Suns' injury crisis is showing any sign of yielding - ruckman Tom Nicholls (knee) and on-baller Alex Sexton (corked thigh) will miss Saturday's clash against Essendon, with Keegan Brooksby and Aaron Hall to come in as replacements.
"It gets frustrating. We've got 12 players with season-ending injuries and the reserves have seven to pick from this week," Eade said.
