SEAN LEMMENS will miss round one with a hamstring injury but Peter Wright is recovering well from a calf niggle and is still in the frame to play the season opener, says Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew.
Lemmens suffered his injury late in Sunday's JLT win over Geelong and scans on Tuesday confirmed he will miss the season's first match against North Melbourne on March 24.
Wright strained his calf two weeks ago, and Dew said the Suns were just being cautious.
Fans' season previews: Gold Coast
"We haven't pushed him just yet," Dew said.
"We've held it back a bit given it's pre-season.
"Had it been in-season we would have shuffled him through a bit more.
"We'll give him another week then ramp him up and see where he sits.
"Previous to that he'd done everything. He's prepared to go (for round one)."
Gold Coast will welcome back co-captain Steven May and midfield bull David Swallow for Sunday's final pre-season game against the Brisbane Lions at Southport.
Aside from Wright, Lemmens and Callum Ah Chee (hamstring), the Suns will have a full strength team on the field.
Wright's absence gives Sam Day another chance to impress as the versatile key position player continues his strong resurgence from last year's dislocated hip.
Dew said he was not concerned by comments from Richmond coach Damien Hardwick expressing interest in Gold Coast free agent Tom Lynch.
Hardwick told News Corp the Tigers would "make room" for a player of Lynch's quality.
Dew was reluctant to comment.
"It's outside noise to us, whether it's from another coach, other teams, media, we're not concerned," he said.
"It happened all last year, it'll happen all next year, sometimes I'll have to deal with it, sometimes I won't.
"To be honest, it comes and goes in one day. It's a little bit irrelevant."
The outlook on Peter Wright is promising. Picture: AFL Photos
