GOLD Coast coach Rodney Eade has resisted the urge to axe senior players, backing them to reverse their form slump against Melbourne at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
Following last weekend's 120-point demolition at the hands of Geelong, Eade considered making a stand by dropping senior players.
However, aside from reinstating Adam Saad (hip) for the injured Trent McKenzie and omitting inexperienced pair Mackenzie Willis and Ryan Davis, the Suns remain the same to play the Demons.
No more self-preservations, says Ablett
Eade said Monday's honesty session among players had helped sway his mind.
"In my mind, earlier in the week we were going to make a stand with two or three older players, more experienced players," Eade said.
"But after the review, when we felt it went extremely well, and I spoke to a lot of the individuals about where they're at, we decided to give them another chance.
"We haven't made a real stance with selections at this stage, but that's the ultimate tool you've got in your armoury.
"Some players had some credits, which are diluting and decreasing, but it was a collective voice on the match committee with the review and what the leaders did in the meeting, that it was a good opportunity to give them a chance to redeem themselves."
Eade said the Suns were "embarrassed" by last week's showing and he'd seen an excellent week on the training track.
He said it all came back to improved effort against Melbourne.
"The basics we've built our game on have been lost the last two or three weeks, we need to get back to," he said.
"It's the same for most teams, contested footy, effort, being able to put pressure on the opposition. Our pressure the first three weeks was fantastic, the last three weeks has been poor.
"They've trained well this week, so all the indications are they want to do something about what happened last week.
"I've got full confidence in the group. They're good lads that want to work hard."