BEING sure Gold Coast still "craves" what he brings, Lachie Weller has pitched his case for a contract extension and revealed the toll the Suns' hard road has taken.
The 29-year-old is in his eighth season at Gold Coast, arriving in eyebrow-raising fashion from Fremantle in a trade for the second draft pick the Dockers used to select future star Andrew Brayshaw.
Willing to give up that draft hand for some ready-made experience, the Suns have benefited from Weller's calm head and smooth delivery that has complemented the younger talents who have since arrived and committed at Carrara.
The results have, finally, come and Weller - off contract after next year - doesn't plan on leaving now.
"I don't want to go into next season being out of contract, so we'll look at doing something soon," he said ahead of Saturday's clash with Greater Western Sydney.
"I've been around the tough days and hopefully the last few years of my career can be nice, good ones.
"My strengths are still something that teams crave: speed, agility and composure on the ball.
"When I'm not out there that's what they miss most, that's the feedback.
"I still feel really valued in the team and with what I can bring."
Weller has a 33 per cent win rate across 156 games, this year's 11-3 personal record easily his most fruitful.
Two knee reconstructions and recent hamstring injuries have stalled things, Weller managing between six and 13 games in each of his past four seasons.
The Suns (14-6) play the Giants, Port Adelaide and Essendon, and can finish as high as second as they chase their first finals campaign since their 2011 admission to the league.
"It's been a long time coming. Hoping we'd get there a bit earlier but, if we get there, it makes the journey that bit better," Weller said.
"There's been times it's been tough to the point I wasn't enjoying footy.
"Getting smashed each week is a hard place to be. Footy becomes such a big part of your life and when you don't play well you sometimes feel you're not even worthy as a person.
"It's kind of made it all worth it now.
"To the point now I'm just loving it, you want to be in here."
Publicly the Suns have attempted not to look too far ahead, but Weller said their potential finals debut was impossible to ignore.
"It's hard now. You talk to mates, family and they're all talking about finals," he said.
"You can build off that energy, but we know when it comes to game day exactly what we need to do."
The Giants (14-7), clinging to eighth spot, will be without strike pair Jesse Hogan and Jake Stringer.
Gold Coast has brought back Sam Flanders and Alex Sexton to replace injured duo Malcolm Rosas Jr (hamstring) and Bailey Humphrey (knee).
Foundation Sun David Swallow's hopes of featuring in the club's maiden finals campaign have also suffered a blow.
Off contract beyond this year, Swallow was in a knee brace at training this week and has been ruled out of the Suns' final-round VFL game on Saturday.
