IT MIGHT be Gold Coast’s second-string midfield, but coach Rodney Eade expects much more than they produced last week when the Suns host Fremantle on Saturday. 

With Gary Ablett, Dion Prestia and Michael Rischitelli all needing season-ending surgery, the Suns cobbled together a makeshift midfield that was clobbered by the Western Bulldogs in Cairns. 

And while Eade admits the latest round of injuries has been a “kick in the backside”, he says aside from Touk Miller, the players given opportunities in the middle just haven’t stepped up. 

"Oh, I expect improvement," Eade said on Thursday. 

"Jesse (Lonergan) hasn’t reached his level of last year. Mitch Hallahan has probably struggled a little bit. Hally (Aaron Hall) is about the same as he was last year, not quite."

With six rounds left it’s a similar spot to that which the Suns found themselves last season, when they unearthed Lonergan and Hall late in the year.

Eade said the Suns would "be creative" with the midfield and throw in players like Jarrod Garlett, Callum Ah Chee and experienced wingman Matt Rosa, who is returning from a hamstring injury.

He said the rest of the season would be a good chance to give prolonged exposure to players further down the list. 

One of those is running machine Josh Schoenfeld – taken at No.34 in last year’s draft – who will debut against the Dockers.

"I think we’ve found out enough about the list to be honest," Eade said. 

"What we’ll try and do is find more about, not so much the ones that have been there, but new ones like Schoenfeld, who can get some games this year that will hopefully help them for next year." 

Schoenfeld’s inclusion leaves just fellow draftee Brayden Fiorini and long-term injured stars Jaeger O’Meara and David Swallow as the only senior listed players not to play this year. 

Gold Coast’s NEAFL team has a bye this weekend, meaning O’Meara’s comeback will continue in the reserves the following weekend before he is considered for senior selection.