New SUNS recruit John Noble has heaped praise on several young SUNS stars on the eve of a new AFL season.

The dynamic rebound defender is set to play a key role in Damien Hardwick’s back-half set up this year and is excited about what a ‘versatile’ backline can produce for the SUNS.

Injuries have hampered the early years of both Connor Budarick and Joel Jeffrey’s careers – both Streetsmarts SUNS Academy graduates – but Noble has been impressed by what he’s seen.

“It’s a really versatile group, there are a lot of players who can play that rebounding role, but also a lot of hybrids that can play both high and deep,” Noble said.

“Wil [Powell] has had a great pre-season. I’ve followed a little bit of his career, obviously had to play against him a couple of times, but training alongside him, it’s awesome to see how he’s taken his game to another level. He’s really composed and leads well.

“Joel has great foot skills. To see some of the things that he bites off is really cool.

“Budders is probably the biggest standout for me. I haven’t seen a lot of him, obviously due to his injuries in previous years, but I’ve really liked his pre-season.

“He’s composed, he’s got good skills and he runs hard. I’ve been really impressed with him.

“We’ve got a really good blend in the backline at the moment, there are a lot of options for the coaches to decipher through and a lot of levers that we can call on in-game if things change or if there are injuries.”

While pre-season has provided ‘a couple of hiccups’, Noble is simply excited to finally run out in his new colours against the Brisbane Lions and his former side in match simulation at People First Stadium on Thursday night.

“Obviously there’s always a lot of hype around the first practice match. It’s always chaotic, you can’t really match the intensity of these games in training, so it’s going to be really fun to pull on a guernsey,” Noble added.

Entry to People First Stadium on Thursday evening is FREE with no tickets required via Gates 1 & 3 from 4:30pm. Seating will be available in sections 117-143, with a small number of catering outlets open for consumption on the night.

Spectators are encouraged to make use of complimentary parking in the Blue Car Park. No additional public transport will be available.

As the club enters its fearless new era, GC SUNS merchandise will be available for purchase inside Gate 1. If you’re yet to join the journey, be sure to visit the SUNS membership team throughout the afternoon or browse membership packages online.