Gold Coast co-captain David Swallow admits the recruitment of Eddie Betts would be very beneficial as the AFL club looks to bridge the gap next season.

The Adelaide small forward has a year left on his contract but has attracted the attention of rival clubs after being left out last month from the Crows’ senior side.

Former Hawthorn champion Luke Hodge’s move to Brisbane has yielded success with a young group on the brink of a minor premiership after finishing 15th last season.

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew admitted he had already attempted to coax former Hawks teammate Jarryd Roughead north, without success, for this season in a similar player-mentor role.

Swallow said Betts’ addition to an otherwise young squad would only help a side on a club-worst 16-game losing run.

“He’d just add that experience and I’m sure the group would certainly learn a lot off someone like that,” he said of Betts, who had amassed more than 300 AFL games.

“It would probably be very beneficial for us, I’d imagine … I’m pretty sure Dewy would be looking to do something like that.

“I don’t know who they get in, but just to help myself and Witta (Jarrod Witts) and the other leaders with a young group would be very beneficial.”

The off-season departures of former co-captains Tom Lynch and Steven May left co-skippers Witts and Swallow with a young squad to mould.

But the pair have hung tough in a season that had started with three wins from their first four games.

The retention of as many as 10 young players on long-term deals and the emergence of some fresh talent has also given Swallow hope.

“My body’s holding up; mentally, I still feel positive – I guess you’ve got to be,” Swallow said.

“It’s easy to lose focus. I know we’ve lost a lot in a row but we started the year well, there’s still some good signs and we’re looking to build that momentum going into next year.”