Gold Coast's match committee has plenty to mull over, according to coach Rodney Eade with several Suns putting their spots in jeopardy for next month's AFL season opener.
Eade said going into Friday night's pre-season clash with rivals Brisbane 20 of the 22 spots up for grabs in the April 4 round one match against Melbourne had been decided.
Following the 63-all draw in a scrappy, error-filled affair in hot and humid conditions at Metricon Stadium, the Suns coach says that could be down to 16 names.
"There's a few blokes that probably played themselves out of contention," Eade said.
Tall Daniel Gorringe, largely failed in his audition to fill one of the two tall forwards spots left vacant by Charlie Dixon's injury and Tom Lynch's round one suspension, though Eade said he wasn't necessarily one of the players under the gun.
"It's an interesting one ... he missed that shot," Eade said of Gorringe, who kicked one goal in the game but missed a sitter of a set shot in the opening term.
"He contested OK a few times and other times we were probably disappointed in what he did.
"What he's shown over the pre-season it was a step forward to be honest, whether that's enough to go with him round one, only time will tell."
Eade didn't mince words when it came to recruit Mitch Hallahan, saying the ex-Hawthorn star had fallen short of expectation against the Lions.
"I thought he was down tonight," Eade said.
"He's had one good one, one down one. It probably wasn't one of his better games.
"He might be one of those blokes that you have the discussion about."
There do at least appear to be two players who have firmed into certainties to take on the Demons after rookie Adam Saad and first-year player Touk Miller both impressed.
Eade said both had almost certainly earned their AFL debuts.
Saad, who copped a late head knock but is expected to be clear for round one, was a terrier in the Suns' backline while Miller showed his class with a show-and-go on Lions veteran Dan Merrett before kicking a fourth-quarter goal.
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