Gold Coast utility Jared Brennan directly blames the Gabba's controversial cricket pitch surface for a serious ankle injury and is glad he no longer has to regularly play at the AFL venue.

Brennan said that for player safety and to prevent injuries like the one he picked up last season, the Gabba should be using drop-in cricket pitches.

"It was the cricket pitch (that caused my injury) at the Gabba and it's definitely good to get away from it," Brennan told AAP.

"The cricket pitch was pretty much the reason why I busted my ankle in the first place.

"We (the Suns) play a few games at the Gabba each year, but at least we don't have to train on it every week.

"A drop-in wicket would be good and I'm not sure why they don't do it at the Gabba.

"It's definitely a pain to play on the cricket pitch, in saying that the opposition has to run around on the cricket pitch as well."

Brennan rolled his ankle during the round seven Lions' clash with Fremantle at the Gabba this year after landing awkwardly following a centre square ruck contest.

He missed several matches and, although he returned to play out the season, he required an end-of-season ankle operation.

"I had some surgery in the off-season. It was a bit of a clean-out," said Brennan, one of several big names lured to the Gold Coast for their debut AFL season in 2011.

The 26-year-old says he understands why Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell and cricket officialdom have rejected the use of drop-in pitches from a purists' point of view.

"They like their natural wicket at the Gabba and Kevin Mitchell likes his cricket," Brennan said.

"I came down on a hard surface and my boots didn't grip into the grass, so it ended up my boot ended sliding underneath me.

"I love playing at the Gabba. There's a great atmosphere there and it has a good feeling to it, but I don't like the pitch."

Twelve years ago, Essendon star Joe Misiti received undisclosed payments from the AFL as a result of injuries sustained in a pre-season game played on a fully prepared cricket wicket at the MCG.

The Melbourne venue now uses drop-in pitches.

Brennan joined his new Suns teammates at training in mid-November and is searching for a new home on the Gold Coast.

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