DAVID Swallow has a pretty good source of information when preparing for North Melbourne on Saturday – his brother Andrew.

Not that the younger brother has grilled the former Kangaroos skipper too extensively on what to expect in Cairns, but the Suns vice-captain has picked his brother's brain.

Andrew played 234 games over 12 seasons for the Roos, before retiring and heading north to play for Brisbane-based NEAFL team Aspley in 2018.

With the brothers now in close proximity, Andrew presented David with his Gold Coast jumper at a closed Suns guernsey presentation last Friday.

Ahead of the season opener in north Queensland, David chuckled when asked if he'd spoken to Andrew about North.

"Yeah, on a couple of mids," he laughed.

"He's had a great career at North. I've seen him play there for years and played against him, we've had that experience.

"He was able to shed some light on some of their mids, that's for sure."

Perhaps the Roos could be going to Andrew for some intel on Swallow junior, with David fresh from a terrific comeback season following persistent knee problems.

David is the heart of Gold Coast's midfield with his fearless attack on the ball and explosive pace away from stoppages.

He said the AFL could expect a different Suns outfit under new coach Stuart Dew.

"We've definitely got a lot more defensive mindset for this year," he said.

"If we can get everyone playing their role, I think we're going to be in games a lot longer than previous years."