After 10 rounds, Gold Coast has already posted its best win total for any of its three seasons. A big reason for the Suns’ fortunes has been the performance of its defensive unit.

In 2012 the Suns conceded 112.8 points per game to rank 17th  in the league, in front of only Greater Western Sydney. So far this season they have conceded just 94.8 points against, a differential of three goals. In three of Gold Coast’s wins the opposition has scored 77 points or less.

North forwards’ coach Brett Allison is under no illusions as to the strength of the back six the Roos will come up against.

“It’s a young, developing defensive unit but very solid,” Allison told NMFC.com.au.

“Rory Thompson has gone back this year and done some really good jobs on some very good opponents. He looks comfortable and strong in the air.”

Quizzed on a potential matchup for the key defender, Allison predicts the up-and-coming backman will go to North’s biggest forward.

“I would assume Thompson goes to Drew (Petrie). He’s their biggest, strongest defender so I would assume they would play him on our biggest, strongest forward.”

A surname familiar to North fans will also be pitted in the Suns’ back half after a recent role change.

“David Swallow has been doing some good things playing off a half-back flank. He’s been providing offensive and defensive contributions to the side. He’s a good decision maker and he knows the game well from when he was in the midfield.

“He’s also disciplined enough to play his role and stop his man.”

21.1 per cent of Swallow’s possessions this year have come in the defensive 50. It’s a far cry from 2012 where the number was just 12.3.

It means that fans heading to Metricon Stadium most likely won’t see the Swallow brothers matched up on one another at stoppages.

Elsewhere, after an injury interrupted start to the season Trent McKenzie has hit good form, averaging more than 20 disposals in his six games for 2013. Allison rates him highly.

“McKenzie has been playing almost as a third tall, he’s a really good ball user,” Allison added.

“We want to keep it out of his hands if we possibly can. He can certainly cut you up by foot.”

Two players who started their AFL careers at opposition clubs round out Gold Coast’s defensive setup.

“(Jarrod) Harbrow’s another really good, attacking defender. He can be their main small defender at times but he has moved up to the wing when needed.

“Tom Murphy has a lot of experience from his time at Hawthorn. He’s been around the AFL system for a number of years now. He does his job and he’s pretty disciplined.”

Allison concedes in-form forward Lindsay Thomas will need to be at his best to hit the scoreboard with plenty of interest surrounding his opponent.

“Lindsay will be an interesting one. Will it be a Harbrow or a Swallow, or do they play more of a marking type on him like McKenzie or Murphy? That’ll be the conundrum for them (the Suns).”