Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick has criticised the AFL's scheduling of pre-season fixtures after four Suns players failed to run out the game due to injury concerns.
Breakout Sun Mac Andrew was the first to depart the field with a sternum injury occurring just 10 seconds into the match.
Andrew flew in a marking contest and collided midair with a back-tracking Taylor Adams, injuring his chest. The 21-year-old did not appear for the remainder of the game.
Charlie Ballard (ankle) and veterans David Swallow (knee) and Lachie Weller (hamstring tightness) all joined Andrew on the sidelines throughout the match for their respective injury concerns in a night of carnage for the Suns.
Injury has plagued AFL clubland nationwide however, with Carlton and the Western Bulldogs just two more teams feeling the brunt of fresh injuries on the eve of the season after captain Marcus Bontempelli was ruled out for six weeks with calf tightness, while Mitch McGovern's apparent ankle injury could see the former Crow miss Round 1 alongside Charlie Curnow and potentially Sam Walsh.
Hardwick said the AFL need to put more consideration into their pre-season scheduling, with the Suns having just eight days to recover and prepare for a blockbuster Opening Round encounter with Essendon.
โWe've got to put our heads together and figure out what we can do and get it a bit tighter,โ Hardwick said to Fox Footy.
โEven our counterparts Sydney can't get home tonight, they play Friday, and they're stuck here tonight.
โWe've just got to get this scheduling better.
โThey've got one job, the AFL, let's get it sorted out.โ
Assistant coach Shaun Grigg provided updates on the injured quartet post-game.
"Mac is pretty positive, I think he passed the concussion test which is great," Grigg said.
"News from the doctors early on is that it's a chest injury, but probably a bit better than what they initially (thought) it could've been. Obviously we'll get the scans with him.
"Ballard came off with an ankle [injury]. We probably took the easy road with him, maybe with Mac out, we thought 'practice game, we might look to conserve that one with Charlie'.
"Then we had Dave Swallow with a bit of a knee concern, possible PCL there, but once again we'll get the scans there.
"Lachie Weller just came off with a little bit of tightness, nothing there for Lachie, so hopefully he'll be fine."
The Suns were unable to fend off a young Swans outfit in their Community Series clash, suffering a 21-point defeat, with attention turning to the Opening Round match against the Bombers on Saturday.
