NATHAN Bock will retain his vice-captaincy next season after Gold Coast CEO Travis Auld threw his full support behind the embattled defender on Thursday.

Bock was suspended for the first two matches of 2012 and fined $10,000 by the AFL on Wednesday for disclosing information that he would start in the forward line ahead of the Suns' round 24 match against Hawthorn.

The regular full-back started the match at full-forward, and after informing a family member and friend, he was backed from $101 to $21 in first goalkicking markets.

Bock duly slotted the first goal of the match from 55m, providing a lucrative windfall for a number of punters.

It is the second time since the finish of the season a senior Sun has been embroiled in controversy after deputy vice-captain Campbell Brown was detained by Thai police for an incident on an end-of-season trip.

Brown was subsequently demoted from his leadership role for 12 months.

Despite the sanctions, Auld said he would support Bock's appointment to the leadership group next season.

"We have a process each year to elect our leadership group. The playing group initially votes on that, then it goes to the board to be ratified," Auld said.

"I can say personally Nathan has my support and he has the support of our Chairman (John Witheriff).

"What we look for in our leaders is people who act with honesty and integrity, people who are prepared to learn from their mistakes, people who are prepared to take responsibility for their actions and that's what Nathan has done in this instance.

"Right from the moment, he was concerned he may have released some information he shouldn't have to.

"That's the way he's acted from the moment he's been in this football club."

Auld said he was satisfied the AFL's sanction for Bock was penalty enough and the club would take no further action.

He said he was not surprised by the penalty, despite Collingwood captain Nick Maxwell receiving a fine - $10,000 with $5000 of it suspended - and no suspension for releasing similar information to family members that he would line up forward last season.

"The AFL has put this on a similar tier to the Maxwell incident, which without knowing all the facts of that incident, seems to make sense," Auld said.

"It's difficult because the AFL has made it clear they want to make a statement with this. The integrity of the game is really, really important. Adrian Anderson made it clear yesterday that the next time it happens, the penalty will be more severe, and after that more severe again, so I think the players have got the message now."

Bock said he was not surprised at the penalty in light of the AFL's crackdown on gambling and described his actions as "careless and reckless".

The 28-year-old, who finished second behind Gary Ablett in the Suns' best and fairest, said his standing would remain in tact within the playing group.

"I feel like I'm a pretty strong leader around the footy club and I think I'll educate the younger boys on how easily this stuff can get out of hand, and if I can do that and give the younger players some understanding, I think it'll greatly help our club," Bock said.

"As players we get a lot of education in regards to selection issues and informing friends and family, so it's another example of how easily information can get passed across. You've got to be so careful."

Michael Whiting covers Gold Coast news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @mike_whiting