Gold Coast hope Sam Flanders wants to stick around now he's "smashed through" and understands his value at the AFL club.
Flanders was always tipped for more midfield time this season before injuries slowed his start to the campaign.
But Steven King's take over from former coach Stuart Dew has coincided with a fit-again Flanders making the most of an increased midfield role in the last month, even at the expense of star teammate Matt Rowell.
Flanders had a game-high 32 disposals in a drought-breaking win over the Brisbane Lions last week, a performance that followed 31 and 33-disposal games in the first two outings under interim coach King.
Against Brisbane, ball-winner Rowell was moved into half-forward to accommodate Flanders and talented rookie Bailey Humphrey, something King said would bring great benefits to the squad.
"We've got the makings of a really, really dominant midfield group; sometimes we just have to let go and make sure you trust the entire group," King said.
"(Flanders) has been desperate to feel the sense of belonging and have a breakthrough game
"Now he's smashed through and now he feels really comfortable at the level, it'd give him tremendous belief in himself and he understands how important he is to the team."
The midfielder was the 11th pick of the 2019 draft, the Suns' third selection behind high-profile top two Rowell and Noah Anderson.
He's off-contract at the end of this season and King hopes the 22-year-old's breakthrough moment will convince him to stay.
"I hope so; we'd love him to," King said.
"He gives us something a little bit different to what we've got inside.
"Hopefully he's really enjoying the environment that's been created here and I can't see any reason why he wouldn't want to stay."
Flanders will shoulder even more of a load in Adelaide against the Crows after captain Touk Miller's suspension.
The ban, which was announced on Thursday, is a kick in the guts of a Suns side needing wins in their last four games to qualify for a maiden finals campaign.
The Suns (9-10, 14th) have never won in Adelaide, where forward Taylor Walker is producing one of his best seasons to keep the 12th-placed Crows (9-10) similarly in the fight.
