THE enormity of the challenge lying in wait for Gold Coast was again laid bare on Saturday.

An 85-point loss to the Cats saw the Suns slump to their seventh defeat in eight games, with questions again raised over the club's list profile and its long-term future.

Despite holding 23 first-round draft picks in its first seven years, Gold Coast is still without a finals appearance and remains a long way off challenging for a September berth.

Here are the club's full list of first-round picks and whether they have been hits or misses.

THE HITS

David Swallow (Pick 1, 2010)
Knee injuries had threatened Swallow's career, but the midfielder has enjoyed a fine campaign so far this year and is delivering on the potential he demonstrated as a junior.

Tom Lynch (Pick 11, 2010)
There's no doubting he's been a success. Having hit the 40-goal mark in four consecutive years, Lynch is a two-time club champion and an All Australian. He's also the club's co-captain.

Jack Martin (Pick 1, 2012 Mini-Draft)
Martin has flourished over the past three years. Dual top-three finishes in the club's best and fairest have been followed by a campaign this season where he is beginning to take his game to the next level.

Kade Kolodjashnij (Pick 5, 2013)
One of few Gold Coast players to hit the ground running when he arrived at the club, Kolodjashnij's past few years have been plagued by fitness issues. The Suns will be desperate he can put his concussion problems behind him and recapture his best form.

Peter Wright (Pick 8, 2014)
The imposing key position player kicked 31 goals last season and showed plenty of potential, but a calf injury this season has delayed his development. The Suns have high hopes for him becoming an elite forward.

Ben Ainsworth (Pick 4, 2016)
An intelligent goal sneak who averaged more than a goal per game in his first season, Ainsworth looks every bit the player that saw him selected in the top five in his draft year.

Peter Wright has shown potential but injury has limited him in 2018. Picture: AFL Photos

THE MISSES

Harley Bennell (Pick 2, 2010)
Bennell played 81 high-quality games with the Suns, but a string of off-field issues meant the club was forced to cut its losses and trade him to the Dockers.

Josh Caddy (Pick 7, 2010)
Caddy is a premiership player with the Tigers, but his impact at Metricon Stadium was minimal. He played just 24 games for the club, before defecting to the Cats.

Dion Prestia (Pick 9, 2010)
Another premiership player, again with the Tigers, but another story of what could have been for Gold Coast. Prestia played 95 games for the Suns, but injury issues meant he never became the player he could have become at Metricon Stadium.

Daniel Gorringe (Pick 10, 2010)
The ruckman's career simply never took off. Gorringe managed only 22 games in five years with the Suns, unable to displace the likes of Tom Nicholls and Zac Smith.

Seb Tape (Pick 13, 2010)
Persistent injuries meant Tape never got an extended run in the side during a six-year stint with the Suns that yielded just 40 games.

Jaeger O'Meara (Pick 1, 2011 Mini-Draft)
O'Meara is obviously a quality player, but he never got to show that at Gold Coast. Knee injuries kept him to just 44 games in four years, before he left for the Hawks.

Henry Schade (Pick 24, 2011)
The key defender could never establish himself with the Suns. He failed to make his debut until his fourth year, before leaving for the Magpies.

Jesse Lonergan (Pick 13, 2012)
One of few first-round picks from this particular era who remains at Gold Coast, it's still hard to list Lonergan's career as a success just yet. On the fringes of the best 22, Lonergan has played just 57 games in six years, including only two so far this season.

Jack Leslie (Pick 20, 2013)
The key defender has played only 21 games in five years. He earned an extended run in the side last season, but hasn't been able to follow through on that start in 2018. He's played just two games so far this year.

Jarrod Garlett (Pick 15, 2014)
An unfortunate one for Gold Coast. Garlett had looked promising through his first 17 games, before leaving the club midway through his contract due to family reasons. He now finds himself at Carlton.

Former No.1 pick Jaeger O'Meara is now a Hawk. Picture: AFL Photos

TOO SOON TO CALL

Sam Day (Pick 3, 2010)
He's eight years and 107 games into his career, but it still might be too early to list Day as either a hit or a miss. A horrific injury derailed his career right when it was gathering momentum. He's virtually starting from scratch in 2018.

Callum Ah Chee (Pick 8, 2015)
Having demonstrated some freakish abilities at junior level, Ah Chee hasn't necessarily been able to showcase them on the AFL stage just yet. But he's shown some promising signs.

Brayden Fiorini (Pick 20, 2015)
A prolific ball-winner at junior level, Fiorini has shown he's able to find the pill in the seniors as well. He'll continue to get better with more football under his belt.

Jack Scrimshaw (Pick 7, 2016)
The rangy half-back has managed just four senior games. He showed plenty of potential as a line-breaking defender at junior level, but is yet to put it together with the Suns.

Will Brodie (Pick 9, 2016)
A rugged inside ball-winner in junior footy, Brodie is yet to earn an extended run in the side while at Gold Coast. The Suns will be hoping he can put it together soon.

Jack Bowes (Pick 10, 2016)
Bowes has shown plenty of class through his first 20 games. The Suns will be confident the academy prospect can continue to build on his promising start.

Wil Powell (Pick 19, 2017)
Perhaps the biggest bolter in last year's draft, Powell is yet to make his senior debut. An unknown quantity of sorts, the Suns will allow him to develop in the NEAFL.

Brayden Fiorini (right) has shown glimpses of his potential. Picture: AFL Photos