After missing last Sunday’s maiden home match against Geelong at the Gabba, Tom Rockliff is determined to repay his teammates with a strong showing this Saturday against the Gold Coast in QClash 7.

Rockliff has now served his one-match suspension for a rough conduct charge on Sam Mitchell in Round One, and has his sights set on the SUNS.

“I definitely feel like I owe the boys one,” Rockliff told The Courier Mail.

“Obviously I didn’t go out there against the Hawks with the intention of getting suspended. I was trying to set the tone for the day and I went a little over the top.

“I felt really bad not being out there against Geelong. Sitting in the stands was pretty tough and so was being in the rooms afterwards when the boys were all pretty flat.

“I can’t wait to get out there against the Suns and have a big game because it is important game for the boys and for our club as a whole.”

But rather than taking a backward step following his recent sanction, Rockliff says he won’t alter his physical approach to games.

“We are going to be physical all year. We will be going out there to get right in their face and see what happens,” he said.

“We want to come forward on them and force them into errors.”

After an intriguing battle with Hawthorn premiership Captain Sam Mitchell in Round One, there’s every chance that Rockliff could find himself matched-up on SUNS superstar Gary Ablett at some stage.

“Gary has been a superstar for a long time and if it is me or someone else, it will be a key match-up that you should embrace,” Rockliff said.

“We will need to nullify his influence on the game but also hurt him the other way as well.

“Anytime you get a match-up like that, you want to perform the role really well for your team.”