If Alex Sexton and Brandon Matera’s sizzling summer start is anything to go by, the Gold Coast SUNS are primed for big things in 2016 according to senior coach Rodney Eade.

When goldcoastfc.com.au sat down with the SUNS mentor, 'Rocket' heaped praise on the dynamic duo, with Sexton (13 games in 2015) and Matera (19 games in 2015) flourishing under the club’s new fitness program led by Justin Cordy.

“Alex Sexton’s really trained well,” Eade said.

“Brandon Matera has been really pleasing, his last half of last season coming off a low base and fluctuating in his professionalism has gone to another level again in the pre-season.”

Touk Miller exceeded all expectations in his inaugural year in the AFL system, playing all 22 games on his way to a fourth-place finish in the SUNS Club Championship.

The first-year workhorse is another goal-sneak who has caught the eye of Eade, as well as his housemate and 2014 No. 8 draft pick Peter Wright.

“Touk Miller again just keeps improving,” he said.

“Obviously the older players have trained exceptionally well. Peter Wright’s another young lad that’s got a great attitude, he’s running really well.”

With a new high performance team at the club and individualised programs based on improving strengths and correcting weaknesses, there have been significant gains in the gym with Jesse Lonergan and Jack Martin two players to benefit from the increased focus in the weights room.

“Jesse Lonergan stripped three kilos of weight. He didn’t have any fat on him, he was just a ball of muscle but he was probably a bit big so he stripped some weight off him,” Eade said.

“Jack Martin is embracing the weights program, he’s put a bit of size on as well. Sam Day (too).”

“So players that have been a little bit up and down in the past have really grabbed hold of it.”