THERE are no more excuses for Gold Coast, vice-captain Dion Prestia says.
The Suns are about to enter their fourth season, having won 14 games in their first three years – including a much-improved eight in 2013.
The club is chasing a maiden finals berth this year and after Sunday's 14-point practice match loss against Collingwood, Prestia says they Suns are more confident than ever of matching it with every team in the competition.
Minus captain Gary Ablett, Gold Coast led the Magpies by 41 points at half-time before resting Prestia and Michael Rischitelli in the second half and being over-run.
Following the match, Suns coach Guy McKenna described the first two quarters as "the best half of footy I've seen us play since the club's been formed".
Prestia agreed, as they sliced up the vaunted Collingwood midfield of Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Dayne Beams and Luke Ball.
"Every time they got it, I thought "we're going to turn it over here". Our pressure was amazing," Prestia said.
"It's probably what we expect from now on, now that we've shown we can do it."
Playing his first game of the pre-season after a recent calf tear, Prestia had 17 first-half disposals before being rested.
He said with an increasingly experienced list, there was no reason why the Suns shouldn't back themselves every week.
"There's a lot of boys who have played over 50 games now and there'll be a few more this year. We're not going to have any excuses any more," he said.
"We expect to win every game we go into. Our first few years we'd think 'we're playing a top-four team, we're probably not going to win', but we can match it with anyone I reckon."
Prestia said the continuity of three seasons together, particularly the midfield group, was starting to show.
He said not only do the players now have confidence in each other, but they've now got the endurance to perform repeat efforts at high intensity right throughout a match.
Gold Coast plays Richmond in round one on March 15.
