Gold Coast’s fresh faces have lifted a jaded senior playing group and now proved themselves worthy after a breakthrough win, says Suns captain Steven May.

An upset win against the Sydney Swans on Saturday at the SCG, where they started as rank $17 underdogs, was unlikely enough.

But the fact they did it without Tom Lynch, David Swallow, Pearce Hanley, Jack Martin and second-year draft talent Jack Bowes and Ben Ainsworth meant it still felt like a dream for the captain on Monday.

“I’m the one up the front trying to preach that (belief in their game plan) each week and when there’s no results backing it up it gets hard sometimes,” he said.

“We just needed this.”

The defender embraced fellow long-time Suns Rory Thompson and Jarrod Harbrow after the win, their first against Sydney.

But he said it was the naivety of the side’s fresh faces that had made the difference.

“When Jacky Martin and Swallow pulled out, I was like ‘far out, two of our stars’,” he said.

“But those young boys they don’t know what it’s like, how hard it can be, and are always up and about.

“You had Jacob Heron jumping around for his first win and he didn’t quite understand … it was a magical moment, I can’t really describe it.”

Not much has been said of the Suns’ youth, particularly compared to the Brisbane Lions’ young talent that is now starting to realise its potential.

But May is adamant there is enough quality there in unheralded players like Heron, who played alongside Bowes for Cairns Saints before following him south.

“I think we definitely have a lot of really good young players, they’re probably not as talked about as other clubs and I’m sure they don’t have a problem with that,” May said.

“He’s (Heron) quietly spoken but very respected; his energy along with the other guys, is just great.

“You look at Rory and Harbs, we’ve had a few tough years, but their smiles are just contagious.”