ONE PLAYER expected to be given a greater role for Gold Coast over the next few weeks is youngster Will Graham.

The Suns are off to a blistering 3-0 start but will now be missing dynamic duo Bailey Humphrey (suspended) for two matches and Christian Petracca (hamstring) for at least three.

With a bye this week, Gold Coast has time to prepare for life without the pair ahead of facing Melbourne at the MCG on April 5.

"It certainly will be different," assistant coach Shaun Grigg said at Carrara on Wednesday.

"One beauty about having the bye is we've got a couple of training sessions to try a couple of things.

"We've got some players in form.

"We saw Will Graham and Jake Rogers come into the team and perform strongly. We'll train a few things and see how it lands."

With Brownlow Medal winner Matt Rowell progressing well from his broken finger and a chance to face the Demons, the extra midfield responsibility could well fall in the lap of Graham.

The 20-year-old had the back half of his 2025 season destroyed by shoulder surgery and then a hamstring injury, but has hit the ground running this year.

Playing predominantly as a small forward that can attend the occasional centre bounce, Graham played his best game of the season in Saturday's win over Richmond.

"It's just good to be playing footy again," he said.

"It was a pretty long year last year with, I think 12 weeks with the shoulder and then coming back and doing the hammy straight away.

"It was a bit frustrating, so I'm just glad and happy to be playing footy again."

Grigg said there was a host of reasons Graham made the Suns a better team.

"He's hard, he's tough, he's fast, he adds something to our midfield and forward mix.

"His contest and his speed. He's very calm and composed with the ball. We feel like he's an important player for us and that's why we love him."