ASK MOST Gold Coast observers what the key ingredient is for the Suns to succeed, and you'll invariably hear the same answer – the forward line.
They have an emerging blue chip midfield that includes Gary Ablett, Jaeger O'Meara, Dion Prestia and David Swallow.
They have a defensive unit that includes super young talents Rory Thompson, Trent McKenzie and Seb Tape, along with the experience of Nathan Bock, Tom Murphy and Greg Broughton.
They have exciting ruckmen in Zac Smith and Tom Nicholls, speed with Jarrod Harbrow and Matt Shaw, class with Harley Bennell and the game's next big talent in Jack Martin.
But question marks still linger over the forward line.
The talent is there – most astute followers realise that – but it's just taking time to develop.
Gold Coast is hanging its hat on Tom Lynch, Sam Day and Charlie Dixon as the target men.
They have played a grand total of 38, 42 and 35 games respectively, and not many of those together.
With Campbell Brown's axing, Lynch will become the unofficial leader of the young forward line, and it's a role he's ready to embrace.
The 21-year-old is quietly spoken off the field, but has the respect of every teammate and his courageous no-nonsense style of football at centre half-forward is a perfect example to follow.
An old school workaholic, Lynch is a guy that loves nothing more than working his opponent over and crashing packs to get a kick.
After a posterior cruciate ligament (knee) injury cost him the final 10 games of 2013, Lynch said he could not wait to reunite with his fellow talls and continue working on a blossoming chemistry.
"It's been a shame at times, one's been in and the other's been out ... but we're starting to get more continuity playing together," he said.
"This pre-season we can hopefully gel as a group and be the five or six that say 'this is our spot' and play together.
"Sammy (Day) and I are starting to play a fair bit of footy together, and Charlie (Dixon) has moved around a bit but has settled as a forward/ruck. We've started settling it down now, which helps."
Lynch said forwards coach Mark Riley – and Ken Hinkley before him – had always encouraged the young talls to take ownership of the front half.
"We have to lead and dictate and set up with the most voice," he said.
"I've been trying to work on that the last few years and now I've got a bit more confidence to fill that role.
"Each year you grow in confidence. I feel like I've put on a few kilos and finally ready to play close to a full season, which I haven't been able to do so far.
"I'm optimistic about the season ahead, so look forward to hopefully playing some good footy."
And if Lynch, Day and Dixon can continue to progress over the next year or two, it just might be the final piece of the puzzle that catapults the Suns into the finals.
