GOLD Coast's 'home ground' advantage at TIO Stadium extends well beyond its perfect record at the Darwin venue ahead of Saturday night's match against North Melbourne.
The Suns will play the Kangaroos and Geelong (next Thursday night) in the coming week, the third straight year they've played consecutive matches in the Top End.
In 2022 they beat North and Hawthorn convincingly, while last season it was the Western Bulldogs and Adelaide falling victim for a perfect 4-0 record.
Following Friday morning's captain's run, Darwin-raised Ben Long said it was a venue Gold Coast felt comfortable at.
"It's that Territory experience," Long said with a smile.
"But being in Queensland we're used to the conditions. It's a territory game most of the time … we're suited to it."
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And some Suns are more suited than others, with three local products in their 23 to face the Kangaroos.
Joel Jeffrey and Lloyd Johnston have both been recalled to join Long as part of six changes from the team that lost to Brisbane last Sunday.
Johnston, the dashing 19-year-old utility who earned two games late last season, played for Wanderers in the NTFL, as did Jeffrey.
Long hails from St Mary's, whose club overlooks TIO.
"It's a special moment, again," Long said.
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"Us Darwin boys have grown up here and played our junior footy here. Just to be able to play here at the AFL level is special.
"Us boys are always thinking 'we've got to get back home to Darwin to play in front of friends and family'."