Gold Coast are confident ball-winning pair Sam Flanders and Touk Miller will be ready for next week's Opening Round meeting with Essendon.
Flanders has been limited late into the pre-season with a back concern while Miller is dealing with a knee injury, with both players currently on tailored training programs.
Miller, who is taking a conservative approach with his recovery, is expected to be fit in time for next Saturday's game against the Bombers despite missing this week's pre-season matchup with Sydney.
"He's going good, if there was a regular season game he'd play," Suns assistant Shaun Grigg told reporters on Wednesday.
"He's on an individual program and he'll have an important session Friday and then look to fold back in.
"He'll be right for Opening Round, no worries."
Flanders, while still in the mix to play, isn't as certain to face Essendon for Gold Coast's season opener as he continues to recover from a troublesome back complaint.
The Suns are keeping an "open mind" in terms of Flanders' selection chances, with the gun utility to join Miller in a critical session on the track this Friday.
"He's similar to Touk, he's on his own program and is progressing well," Grigg said.
"We'll keep an open mind there, he's got an important session on Friday along with Touk. We'll go session by session with him.
"We're not ruling anything out and hopefully he'll be there Opening Round.
"Touk is a seasoned campaigner, he doesn't need two practice matches to be right, and Flanders is so important for us. With their individual programs they'll get enough work in and will be right."
The double injury concern at Carrara comes after top 10 draft pick Leonardo Lombard was confirmed to miss the start of the 2025 season due to a shoulder injury sustained in last week's trial match with Brisbane and Collingwood.
Lombard was scheduled to see a specialist on Wednesday to learn the extent of his sideline stint, which will place him out of the opening rounds of the coming campaign at least.
Gold Coast will also be without second-year forward Jed Walter for Opening Round due to a suspension from late into last year's VFL season.
The Suns are set to face Sydney at People First Stadium on Friday for their final game of the pre-season in preparation for their season opener at the same venue against Essendon on Saturday, March 8.
