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Gold Coast midfield ace Matt Rowell is on track to return from a serious knee injury in time for the Suns' round-14 AFL clash with Port Adelaide.

Gold Coast are hoping to have young midfield star Matt Rowell back from injury for the Suns' round-14 AFL clash with Port Adelaide.

Rowell's injury-plagued start to his career continued when he suffered a partial tear of his posterior cruciate ligament in the Suns' opening-round defeat to West Coast.

For the first time Gold Coast on Tuesday updated Rowell's timeline for his return from indefinite to eight weeks.

The former No.1 draft pick was expected to again take the competition by storm after shoulder surgery curtailed a brilliant five-game stint last year.

Rowell was in Brownlow Medal contention before hurting himself against Geelong in round-five last year, abruptly ending what shaped as one of the best debut seasons in history.

The 19-year-old is the most prominent name on a long injury list for the Suns.

Predicted by many to finally jump up the ladder this season, Gold Coast slumped to a 1-4 record after being smashed by the Western Bulldogs last Saturday.

The Suns' big-man stocks have taken a battering, but veteran ruck Zac Smith is listed as one-to-two weeks away from returning.

Defenders Charlie Ballard and Sean Lemmens are in line to return for Saturday's clash with Sydney after the pair were injured during the round-four loss to Carlton.