NEW GOLD Coast coach Rodney Eade has put a rocket through his young Suns team, guaranteeing no-one a place come round one.

 

Vice-captain David Swallow says after one month of training under Eade, the former Sydney Swans and Western Bulldogs coach has not minced his words.

 

"He's made it pretty clear regardless of who you are, you're not going to get games unless you're doing everything right and you're up to a certain standard," Swallow said.

 

"He's made that very clear."

 

Since taking over from Guy McKenna, Eade has not shied away from wanting to take the young Suns to their first finals appearance in 2015.

 

Swallow said the expectations had been put squarely on the players early in the pre-season.

 

On Monday at Metricon Stadium, Gold Coast was put through a gruelling three-hour training session that mixed running and full ground team drills.

 

"The expectation on the group has been raised," Swallow said.

 

"We're not those young kids anymore. The expectations going into next year, the standards around the club, he's tidied up that a fair bit."

 

The 22-year-old is coming off his best season in the AFL, averaging 23 disposals and being the first player aside from Gary Ablett to win a Gold Coast best and fairest.

 

He said the addition of Hawk Mitch Hallahan and the expected improvement of Jesse Lonergan would help thicken up a midfield that was high on talent but light on bodies last season.

 

"Probably ran out of legs towards the end of the year," Swallow said.

 

"I think that'll be a focus, to get as many players through the midfield, and play the midfielders forward or off a wing or half-back to mix things up and make it hard for the opposition to know where we're going to play, and keep us fresher.

 

"I think the engine room will have a lot more depth, which will help."