GOLD Coast has to make the right decisions in the off-season to break the club's cycle of poor performance, midfielder David Swallow says.

Having make solid strides in his comeback from a knee injury this season, the former No.1 NAB AFL Draft pick said the Suns had the makings of a successful core, but still needed help.

Swallow was second in the club best and fairest vote, Gary Ablett winning for the fourth time and Jack Martin finishing third for the second consecutive year.

"There's a group of players as well as (myself and Martin), like Jarryd Lyons and Jarrod Witts, in that similar age bracket," Swallow said.

"The group's definitely there and hopefully we can add some more over the trade period and the draft and have a really solid year next year."

The Suns finished a six-win season with a humiliating 115-point loss to Port Adelaide, but Swallow's pain stretches deeper than that given every one of his 97 AFL games have been as a Sun.

In seven seasons since joining the AFL, Gold Coast has finished no higher than 12th.

"I thought probably three years ago we were on the brink of playing finals, so for everyone involved here it's flattening," Swallow said.

"But we only know one way and that's hard work."

Personally, things are more positive though, with Swallow surprised at how well he has bounced back from injury.

The 24-year-old went 630 days between AFL games due to serious knee injuries, before making his comeback in round two against Greater Western Sydney this season.

"I thought it might take me at least a year to get back to the form where I was solid each week," he said.

"I've still got a body of work to do over the pre-season to get to where I want to get to, but personally I'm just happy to be back playing footy."

Meanwhile the Suns' search for a senior coach continues, with CEO Mark Evans, Marcus Ashcroft, Neil Craig, Simon Garlick and Matti Clements the panel charged with replacing the sacked Rodney Eade.