ONE OF Gold Coast's smallest players has stood tallest during a season that has been derailed by injuries and off-field misdemeanours.

He's just 19, was taken at pick No.29 in last year's AFL Draft, stands 178cm and weighs 81kg, but Touk Miller has turned heads for all the right reasons at the Suns. 

He's played all 11 matches, mixed time between half-forward and the midfield, and has averaged 17 disposals and five tackles in a badly struggling team.

While injuries have crippled the midfield and six players have been suspended for failing the club's alcohol policy, Miller has flourished. 

Stand-in skipper Michael Rischitelli said it's more than just numbers that have the former Calder Cannon thought of so highly around Metricon Stadium. 

"It's pretty amazing for a first-year player to play the games he has so far," Rischitelli said. 

"It's a credit to him. 

"He's a pretty professional young bloke. It really gets noticed around the club, so hopefully we can get a lot more guys like Touk to be as professional as him."

Since the Suns dropped their discipline bombshells earlier in the season, Rischitelli said the playing group had responded well. 

Coming off the bye, he believed they had a good chance of beating Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, following strong showings against Hawthorn, the Sydney Swans and Fremantle prior to the break. 

"We knew we were in a big hole early in the year," he said.

"We know where we're at. We want to win but we're not winning. 
 

"That (discipline) was a start and that's what we needed to fix up and we have an opportunity to go to Melbourne and get a win." 

Steven May, Sam Day, Harley Bennell, Matt Shaw and Alex Sexton have all returned to an extended 25-man squad to take on the Blues.

Captain Gary Ablett did not get up despite training strongly during the week, but Rischitelli believes the dual Brownlow medallist will return against North Melbourne in round 14. 

"He's obviously not right. We were hopeful he'd get up, but Gaz knows his body real well and he's not right. Hopefully next week is the week he'll be back."