Suns take no risks for Giants clash

ANDY Lovell says the Suns won't take any chances with injured players, despite this week's match shaping as a chance to avoid the wooden spoon.

SUNS assistant coach Andy Lovell has declared the club won't take any risks with injured players against GWS despite Saturday's home match shaping as their only realistic chance to avoid consecutive wooden spoons.

With the Suns' run home consisting of Hawthorn, Carlton and Adelaide, the mouth-watering clash against the AFL's newest club is shaping as the deciding factor in the Suns' quest to overcome bottom spot.

Gold Coast sit four points behind the 17th-placed Giants but will leapfrog the fledgling club on percentage if they win this weekend.

But despite seven players picking up injuries in last weekend's sapping loss to Melbourne, Lovell said no one would be put at `adverse' risk in a bid to seek revenge on the Giants.

"No we won't (take risks with selection)," Lovell declared.

"Fear of failure against this mob doesn't drive us and there is no doubt about that.

"We have our own focuses long and short term and they are the things we will stick strong too."

Gun midfielder David Swallow is the most likely of the injured battalion to back up against the Giants, who posted their maiden AFL victory against the Suns earlier this year.

The Suns' paid the ultimate price for playing Swallow the week after he picked up a minor ankle injury against Fremantle in round six when he suffered a knee injury the following round and was ruled out for seven matches.

Despite Swallow's history, Lovell was confident the 19-year-old would play but said the club's approach would be no different with the West Australian product.

"If he gets through training (this week) then we expect him to come up," Lovell added.

"He is fairly resilient and we just need to make sure if he does play he is as close to 100 per cent fit as he could be.

"(But) we wouldn't put one of most talented young players at risk to win one game of footy."

Jackson Allen is likely to come in for his debut alongside possible candidates Steven May, Kyal Horsley and Aaron Hall, while the Suns are hopeful Danny Stanley (hamstring) will get the all clear to return.

Several of the inclusions will be playing for their careers and Lovell is upbeat the players coming in will have the hunger to make the Suns more than competitive.

"We've got players who have been in really consistent form in the NEAFL, so it won't be difficult to find players to come in," he said.

"In terms of like for like (players) clearly we haven't because a lot of the guys that will be coming in won't have played a lot of AFL footy.

"But those are the cards we have been dealt with and we have to handle that."