Gold Coast may be riding an emotional high after Gary Ablett's historic decision to accept a five-year contract, but the Suns are still well short of an ideal playing list for their 2011 debut.

The fledgling side is in desperate need of several seasoned key position players who can handle the weekly physical and mental pressure of the game.

At the moment their ruck department rests in the hands of promising teenager Zac Smith who is 10 kilograms off an ideal playing weight.

Their attack is pinned around a few lightweight goal sharks and raw centre half-forward Charlie Dixon.

The Suns do not have a stand-out full forward or even a makeshift full forward either.

Outside of the key position personnel, their playing stocks are lean.

They simply have no depth to cover for injuries or suspensions and for many of their young players 2011 will be a baptism of fire.

Geelong premiership forward Nathan Ablett, who kicked three goals in the 2007 AFL grand final, was thought to be the great white hope for the forward line in 2011.

However he has not yet been offered a contract and may not.

Even if he was kept for next year, based on his form in the VFL, if he played one senior match for the Suns in 2011 it would be a bonus.

Like Smith, Dixon needs to add significant bulk to his lean frame and if the pair are going to be given time to develop, the Suns may need to look at recruiting Melbourne's discarded forward Brad Miller and shunned Collingwood ruckman Josh Fraser.

If not those two players specifically, then at least players of similar quality and size.

Suns coach Guy McKenna has admitted they need to find an experienced ruckman.

"If you had a start to the season where you come up against (Aaron) Sandilands, (David) Hille, (Ben) Hudson and those types, I guarantee you our (young) ruckmen wouldn't be playing much more after round five or round six," McKenna said.

What there is to like about the Suns is their high quality midfield brigade comprising of Ablett, former Brisbane Lion Michael Rischitelli, former Kangaroo Daniel Harris and promising youngsters David Swallow and Maverick Weller.

All going well, their opening round defensive unit will consist of their five recruits Nathan Bock (Adelaide), Jarrod Harbrow (Western Bulldogs), Nathan Krakouer (Port Adelaide), Campbell Brown (Hawthorn) and former Bronco Karmichael Hunt and former SANFL defender Michael Coad.

Hunt's worth to the side so far has been in media exposure and the jury is still out whether he will be anything more than a failed experiment.

But the Suns have little time to stop and think about Hunt's progress as they still have a lot of recruiting to do.

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