After two hours of skills and drills on Friday morning, the playing group were put through their paces with a match simulation session for the first time this year.

Two teams of 16 were formed, red and blue, with coaching staff getting their first glimpse of the new-look SUNS in a gameplay scenario which consisted of two 15-minute halves.

With the game officiated by Stuart Dew, Senior Assistant Coach Dean Solomon was able to critique and analyse from the sidelines.

“It was good to get through two 15-minute blocks and the intensity was really good and they enjoyed it,” Solomon told SUNS TV.

“Like most clubs we’ve been training most of summer in small-sided games and drills and the boys have got to a point now where we’re starting to move into that area of match sim.

“Games aren’t that far away so we start building up blocks of work for that in isolation.”

Solomon was particularly pleased with the output of some of the first-year players who would have relished the opportunity to impress their coaches.

“Josh Corbett did quite well off half-forward,” Solomon said.

“King and Lukosius, those young boys did what they had to do.

“Jack Martin played a little bit more time on-ball and showed a little bit (as did) Ben Ainsworth on the wing.”

With the first session in the books, the coaching staff will be looking to gradually lengthen the match simulations and build up to regulation AFL timings as the season draws closer.

“We’ll ramp it up next week again - no doubt we’ll do three blocks of I’d say probably twenty minutes next week,” Solomon said.

“But all eyes are on round one and we’re working back from that.

“Today was the first little touch of it, a little taste, and the guys really enjoyed and got through with no injuries so we’ll look to expand on that.”