In the club's first training session since Brown's axing on Wednesday, defender Seb Tape said the players respected the club's decision, but would always remember Brown's contribution.

 

"No one's forgetting the great impact he had when he was playing and the leadership role he had," Tape said.

 

"We're looking at the positive things.

 

"It will take a bit of adjusting, but it's the nature of footy that you have to keep turning up for training and you can't let that affect you too much."

 

Brown played 46 games in three seasons for the Suns, but was shown the door after an altercation in Los Angeles left teammate Steven May with a broken jaw.

 

May had surgery that included the insertion of two plates, but is expected to resume training in the next week or two.

 

Midfield dynamo Dion Prestia said the players had discussed the incident when it first happened in America, but since returning to Australia seven days ago, had barely raised it.

 

"It's been a good distraction, coming back and training," Prestia said.

 

"Obviously he's a big loss for us on and off field. Browny got on with a lot of players around the club and he's a pretty aggressive player which we needed, but we're back training the last few days … and the club will move on pretty quickly."

 

With Gold Coast's older brigade on annual leave, the young players were put through their paces in hot conditions on the Metricon Stadium training field on Friday morning.

 

Prestia was prominent in the 400m repetitions, and said a 2km personal best recently proved he was in the finest shape of his short career.

 

Both he and Tape completed the entire two-week altitude camp in Arizona for the first time.

 

Tape said he knee was feeling good after coming back from a reconstruction earlier this year.

 

Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting