The Gold Coast SUNS have this week concluded a three-day pre-season camp in the Byron Bay hinterland as the club prepares for the upcoming 2025 AFL season.

The camp was structured in an ‘Amazing Race’ style format, where players were split into six teams and competed in various activities which saw them traverse the Northern Rivers landscape.

For Senior Coach Damien Hardwick, who was the master-planner behind the camp, it was an opportunity for the players to connect with their teammates on a deeper level and have fun while doing it.

“The one thing about camps is the camaraderie they build and the connection which is very important within footy clubs,” Hardwick told SUNS Media.

“One of the things we emphasised on the camp is that we want to enjoy it, but we want to work hard as well.

“This group, when they dig in, they dig in hard.

“We’ve found out a little bit about some players, some guys that rise to the challenge and more importantly some guys who help others as well.”

Day 1 saw the teams compete in a Raw Challenge obstacle course, covering nine kilometres of terrain while slogging through mud, water and any obstacles in their path.

Following this, the teams competed in two legs of the Amazing Race, competing against the other teams to be the first across the finish line.

While devising the layout of the camp, Hardwick wanted to strike a balance between the physical grit required to get through challenges and the mental resilience required to solve problems under pressure, all while promoting teamwork.

“From a physical point of view you want to get some work into them, but then it’s also getting the combination right where you get the ultimate experience of activities where the players have to think mentally while doing a physical skill,” Hardwick said.

“It’s also important to have the period of time they’ve got together where they can sit there and connect through communication and challenges.”

Hardwick also introduced an important element of the camp that was a central theme throughout the three days – the rope.

At the beginning of camp each team was given a rope which signified connection, and to make the challenges more demanding, all players were required to keep a hand on the rope at all times when competing.

“The rope was inspired by mountaineering, where mountaineers climb and are attached to each other by a rope at all times,” Hardwick explained.

“The rope signified connection so whilst we could have been quicker individually, we are stronger together.

“Like most things in life, we’re built for collaboration as humans and we need to make sure we sit there and work together to get where we want to go.”

When summing up the camp, the SUNS Senior Coach said he wanted the players to reflect fondly on their time together and draw on their learnings throughout the season ahead.

“From playing and coaching some of the best memories I have are from pre-season camps. There will be some epic stories coming out of this camp,” Hardwick said.

“You look at the most successful clubs and organisations within world sport, they’re the most heavily connected and that’s our aim.

“Hopefully we achieved that and we can see that connection come into our style of play.

“We’re a system-based team which relies on not only yourself but the player beside you, so hopefully that was strengthened (through the camp).”

With a gruelling 2025 AFL season on the horizon, Hardwick believed the camp had given the playing group belief they could tackle any test thrown their way.

“We had an incredible last challenge coming up this hill carrying a stretcher with 120 kilograms on it,” Hardwick said.

“I reckon I could have given them another challenge and they would have dug in and done it as well.

“Whatever they do, they do it hard and tough. They’re a special group and I think there are some special things that are going to await this group this year.”