2022 SUNS PREVIEW

A strength and conditioning coach has played an important role at the Suns this pre-season.

The coach has helped improve the fitness of their playing group, according to head coach Dean Cachia.

“We have lost a few players, but we have brought in similar, but as a group the level of fitness has improved, so hopefully that shows this season,” Cachia said.

“We wanted to bring the focus back to the enjoyment of footy, because we have essentially had a three-year pre-season – we didn’t play in 2020 and then last year we had 10 games or so, so we have had to motivate the guys to get back.

“It has been a hard slog over the past four to five months, but the group has really enjoyed being back.”

Cachia hoped the Suns could pick up from where they left off in 2021. Last season the Suns finished in top spot, claiming the minor premiership.

“We are excited about the season ahead. We have had a few guys come back and play footy who haven’t played in a few years, so we are super excited to have those players back,” he said.

“We have a big extension of our club rooms happening at the moment so we don’t have a home game until about Round 6 and we haven’t had any rooms to go into after training, we have trained and gone home, so we have had a different set of challenges we are going through at the moment, but we are ready for the season and looking forward to testing ourselves.

“Hopefully we can play finals. Time will tell.”

The Suns take on North Sunshine in Round 1 of the Alan Mance Motors Division 3 competition at Dempster Park on Saturday.