He is yet to play an official AFL game but Gold Coast young gun David Swallow has already earned comparisons with Brownlow medallist Ben Cousins.

The No.1 draft pick began sensationally in the Suns' practice clash with rivals Brisbane Lions at Southport on Sunday in a 67-point loss.

Champion Lions midfielder Simon Black saw enough to convince him the 18-year-old was a future AFL superstar.

And the three-time premiership player also gave Karmichael Hunt the thumbs up after getting his first real look at the code-hopper last weekend.

Black admitted he was feeling every bit of his 31 years when the teenage Swallow left him for dead in the weekend's early exchanges.

"He's going to be a beauty no doubt about it," Black said in Brisbane on Monday.

"The way he ran past me a couple of times reminded me of Ben Cousins - he's got that complete package.

"He's already a fantastic player.

"He's very mature with the footy in his hands, he's good inside and outside - he's a pretty impressive kid."

Swallow's influence in the midfield ensured the Suns led by 14 points late in the first term before the Lions hit another gear to win 17.19 (121) to 7.12 (54).

Hunt was another to show encouraging signs as he soaked up another lesson in his AFL crash course.

"I had not seen him much but I thought he was good," Black said of Hunt.

"I was actually quite surprised (by) his ability to make decisions with the footy in his hand.

"Obviously he has a lot to learn but I was impressed with how far he had come.

"I think he has potential to play a lot of games.

"He is certainly a tough bugger.

"He copped a whack that looked like a car crash from where I was standing, but he got up pretty quickly."

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