Gold Coast co-captain David Swallow will return from suspension. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

"OUR TIME is now."

Those four words sum up the significant shift perennial struggler Gold Coast made towards embracing a winning culture at the start of this pre-season, coach Stuart Dew says.

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Reinforced with the best two kids in last year's draft class, best mates Matthew Rowell and Noah Anderson, and senior recruits Brandon Ellis and Hugh Greenwood, the Suns established a new mindset.

There was a slip-up in round one against Port Adelaide after a promising pre-season but Saturday night's shock defeat over West Coast has caught the AFL community's attention.

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There are now greater hopes attached to what retooled Gold Coast can achieve in 2020 but Dew said they were just as buoyant internally.

"We've probably shifted that expectation in-house as well across this whole summer, in terms of our time is now," he said.

"We're more than capable. We're not here just to compete and do the fluffy stuff; we're here to win and get four points like every other team.

"I think the fact we've shifted that dialogue internally just marries up with external, so I think we've been on the front foot with that and we think we can handle the external stuff as well.

"We're really confident in the group we've got and the decisions the whole of club have made and I think it started way back in November."

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At the same time, Dew – in his third season at the helm – has warned his players to "reset" for Adelaide on Sunday "because last week is well and truly done".

Star midfielder David Swallow will return from his one-game suspension, while the coach was confident Ellis (calf) would also be fit to reclaim his spot in the side.

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"Obviously our co-captain Dave will come back in and we expect Brandon to be OK as well," Dew said.

"There are going to be two unlucky guys but that's the position we need to be in to keep the heat on.

"The players understand how important it is for good clubs to have that and we've been working for that and need to maintain it for the whole year."

Crows coach Matthew Nicks earlier in the day highlighted Rowell's stunning weekend performance but Dew believed the gun teenager would take a potential tag in his stride.