Sam Collins is doing everything in his power to make the most of his AFL lifeline at the Gold Coast SUNS.

After being cut by Fremantle at the end of 2017, Collins moved back to Melbourne where he impressed enough for Werribee in the VFL to earn his second chance in the AFL system.

He’s a no-nonsense type of player, and Collins knows the hard work he puts in over the coming weeks will determine his fortunes in 2019.

“I suppose I’m not the flashiest footballer, I’m obviously a competitor and appreciate hard work,” Collins told SUNS TV.

“First week of preseason’s been really good, the guys have come back in good nick and it’s been a really jovial and great atmosphere to come into.

“Everyone looks like they’re working pretty hard and are keen to get stuck into it so yeah the club’s been really welcoming.”

Collins, a 194cm intercepting key defender who was drafted in 2015,  played 14 games with Fremantle before being delisted.

He played 18 games for Werribee this year in the VFL to win the club’s best and fairest and finish equal-third in the VFL’s JJ Liston medal for the competition’s best and fairest. 

“I had a good season in the VFL, I spoke to a few people during the year and it was more about the system that I was playing in,” Collins said.

“At Werribee we were a team full of guys who played their own role and in doing so I was able to showcase my strengths in the air and things like that.

“Because of the team performance I was able to have a good season and get recognised.”

While it’s been another big transition for Collins to relocate to the Gold Coast, he isn’t completely unfamiliar with a few of his new teammates.

In his time at Fremantle he played alongside Lachie Weller, and now joins fellow former Werribee star Josh Corbett as a mature-league recruit for 2019.

“It’s great having familiar faces around,” Collins said. 

“Obviously the two seasons with Lachie, he’s someone I know well and know about his football character and things like that so it’s been great to reconnect with him and see him doing so well up here.

“And then to have Corbo up here and in the same boat as me, I think that it’s great having him around… he can ask me questions, I can ask him questions and we can make sure we’re on time to everything so it’s working well.”