Gold Coast "mercenaries" Jared Brennan and Michael Rischitelli want to shut down, and possibly shut-up, former Lions team-mate Simon Black in Saturday night's first Queensland AFL derby at the Gabba.

On Monday, Black branded Brennan and Rischitelli mercenaries for leaving Brisbane at the end of last season, adding they quickly accepted the large sums of money available to play for the fledgling AFL club.

But Suns coach Guy McKenna said Black's memory was selective as Rischitelli had only wanted to leave the Lions after the 2010 best and fairest winner had been offered as trade bait.

Both Gold Coast recruits have asked to run with Black on Saturday night.

"Maybe if Blacky had won a best and fairest - what's he won three? - and then was politely told he was on the market at the end of the year, I'm not sure whether he would have been sticking around either," McKenna said.

"Sometimes people have short memories.

"To say that those boys were mercenaries when Michael Rischitelli was treated the way he was - if that was Simon Black he would have done exactly the same thing. It's a bit rich.

"I'm thinking of Jared Brennan and Michael Rischitelli (playing on Black) - there's two boys who have already put their hands up for that."

Having been a part of West Coast-Fremantle derbies during his distinguished career with the Eagles, McKenna has experienced first-hand the emotion his players will confront in the build-up to the match and when the game starts.

He said the Suns, like Fremantle during the first few years against the Eagles, must not be bullied and must stand their ground in any physical confrontations.

The fact both sides are languishing near the bottom of the ladder is of little relevance to the intensity that will erupt when the opening siren sounds, said McKenna.

"These games, regardless of the positions on the ladder - it's no different to Collingwood and Carlton and it's the same back in Western Australia where I'm from with the derby - are not really relevant," McKenna said.

"It's about being able to have bragging rights and that's what brings out the best and the nastiness in both sides.

"We've won one game and Brisbane haven't won one so we are under no illusions, we know how ferocious they are going to be.

"It's a good opportunity for them to win a game and we'd like to think we're going to make it tough for them and we want to prove they can't push us around."

The Suns are expected to make at least one change with Nathan Bock set to return after serving a one-match suspension.

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