A RESURGENT Gold Coast will be forced to take on a rampant Adelaide without co-captain Steven May, with the key defender to miss at least three games with a hamstring injury. 

The Suns will also assess the fitness of Michael Barlow (hamstring tightness) and David Swallow (ankle), both of whom suffered niggles during a 26-point win over Carlton at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night.

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However, Gold Coast could regain both key defender Rory Thompson (quad) and Pearce Hanley (family bereavement), although the latter will also undergo scans after hurting his heel in a NEAFL match on Saturday. 

"Steven May will miss at least three, I reckon," Gold Coast coach Rodney Eade confirmed post-match. 

"Michael (Barlow) got tight early in the first quarter, so it was more precaution.

"David Swallow tweaked his ankle – that's why he was playing forward most of the night. It was a pretty gutsy effort for David but he should be OK next week."

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Eade said he was hopeful Hanley will be passed fit, while Thompson – whose fitness is critical given May's injury – was "a chance but he's not guaranteed".

After his side's second successive win, which improved its standing to 2-2, Eade was excited by the prospect of hosting the undefeated Crows at Metricon Stadium next Saturday. 

"I spoke to the players before (about how) it's a great challenge (against) the best team in the competition," he said. 

"They're up and about, and it's a great test at home. 

"I think with the belief we're getting we'll certainly give a good show of ourselves."

WATCH: Rodney Eade's full post-match press conference

The Suns coach insisted there wasn't as much "doom and gloom" at the club after it slumped to 0-2 as what the external noise suggested. 

"It's a win-loss industry. Our first game (against the Brisbane Lions) we dominated all the KPIs (key performance indicators) but we just didn't get the points … then we were really poor against GWS," he said. 

"When we reviewed the game against GWS we didn't go extremely hard at them but by the same token there was a few truths and the players drove that a fair bit as well. 

"Even for a young group, they've got a fair bit of pride in them (and) they're a good group to coach."

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Eade was particularly pleased with the efforts of key men in co-captain Tom Lynch, who bagged an equal club-high seven goals, and veteran Gary Ablett, who helped turn the game in the third quarter with some crucial clearances.

He was also impressed with his younger players, who just "hung in there".