RODNEY Eade has walked away from Friday night's draw against the Brisbane Lions with more questions than answers.
While the likes of draftee Touk Miller and certain rookie elevation Adam Saad inked their names into Gold Coast’s round one team to play Melbourne, a number of their teammates did the opposite.
Lions and Suns fight out a draw
Eade was critical of the Suns' inability to follow his gameplan, and said he now had some selection dilemmas.
"I thought, we as a match committee, probably had 20 of the 22 (for round one) … and I thought after tonight we've probably got 16 of the 22," Eade said.
"So there's a few blokes that probably played themselves out of contention."
Saad and Miller continued their strong pre-seasons and Eade said they would be there against the Demons.
Saad was carried off late in the match after taking a heavy knock to his head, but passed the concussion test.
Young gun Jack Martin missed the game with a gastro illness but the coach said the 2nd-year forward would be fit for round one.
Gold Coast blew a 23-point lead at three-quarter time, but Eade was most concerned with how his team moved the ball in a disjointed first half.
With Charlie Dixon (ankle) and Tom Lynch (rested) missing from the forward line, the Suns went with a smaller set-up.
"They didn't listen to what they were told to do, so that was disappointing," Eade said.
"(They) did what they wanted to do with the ball. That's a work in progress. When you're a smaller forward line you have to do something different.
"I think they're caught between old and new to a certain degree … under pressure go back to old habits, which we're trying to change.
Among the players with a question mark over them heading into the first game of the premiership season is Hawthorn recruit Mitch Hallahan.
After a starring role in the Suns' first-up win over Geelong three weeks earlier, the midfielder's 19 disposals were not enough to impress Eade.
"I thought he was down tonight – it probably wasn't one of his better games. He might be one of those blokes you have to have a discussion on."
Conversely, Brisbane Lions coach Justin Leppitsch said the Lions had now done everything possible ahead of their first match against Collingwood.
WATCH: Leppitsch happy with two ruckmen
He was particularly pleased with the fourth quarter fightback after a poor third term.
"We didn't want to go into our first game with that being our last memory of how we played, a horrible finish, and they rectified that, which was good," Leppitsch said.
"We should go into our round one game full of confidence that we've ticked a lot of boxes.
"I think we're as ready as we can be for round one."
