JESSE Lonergan describes his switch to the Gold Coast defence as important for his football development.
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Since returning to the senior team in round five against Brisbane, the 20-year-old former Launceston player has had the job on small forwards and resting midfielders in attack, rather than plying his trade in the midfield.
Eddie Betts, Josh Green and Jamie Elliott are among his opponents.
‘‘I hadn’t really played defence before, so it is something new that ‘Rocket’ (coach Rodney Eade) has put in place, so I can learn a bit more and gain some new experiences,’’ Lonergan told The Examiner.
‘‘Hopefully it will help grow my game and with guys like Nick Malceski and Jarrod Harbrow at the club, it is good to be able to soak up information from those two.
‘‘The one thing I have learnt is that you have to be switched on all the time and you can’t ball-watch.
‘‘Eddie Betts, a couple of weeks ago, kicked a bag (5.0) on me, and I saw that as just a great opportunity to learn.’’
Despite obtaining a career-high 20 touches last week, Lonergan said shutting down his direct opponent was his main focus at the moment.
Along with having that role, the 13th pick in the 2012 national draft is also experiencing something ‘‘new’’ in his football life, playing in the senior team after injury-impacted starts to his two previous years.
He has come into the team that is struggling in 17th spot on the AFL ladder with a 1-7 record.
It is a side that has been decimated by injuries, with Dion Prestia (knee) this week joining Gary Ablett, David Swallow, Jaeger O’Meara and Malceski in the medical room.
‘‘It is great to be in the team even though our injuries have probably helped me get a game so early,’’ he said.
‘‘We are trying to just stick together as a group and those injuries have gone against us, but we can’t use that as an excuse.
‘‘We need to put 100 per cent effort in 100 per cent of the time and really get that brotherhood going when things are tough.’’
The challenge for the Suns, who lost to Collingwood by 69 points last weekend, increases against reigning premier Hawthorn in Lonergan’s home city on Saturday, followed by last year’s runners-up Sydney and ladder-leading Fremantle.
The 17-gamer could get the job on Luke Breust, Paul Puopolo or Cyril Rioli if still in defence.
The Suns have a 0-2 record in Launceston, including a 63-point loss last season in the wet.
After starting that match as sub, Lonergan came on to collect 10 second-half possessions.
‘‘I’m looking forward to the challenge of playing the premiers,’’ he said.
‘‘We just need to go out there and control the things that we can control.
‘‘It was great to play there last year in front of friends and family, as Aurora is one of the grounds that I have played on since I was 10 and I used to go and watch the AFL games there as a kid.’’
Gold Coast’s five Tasmanians (Lonergan, Kade Kolodjashnij, Luke Russell, Henry Schade and Aaron Hall) are all a chance to play on the weekend after being part of the team that lost to Collingwood.