By Michael Whiting
Gold Coast SUNS youngsters Brandon Matera and Trent McKenzie will be fully fit by round one despite being on modified programs for most of the pre-season.
Matera has battled groin problems since surgery in July, while knee inflammation has had McKenzie doing rehabilitation work for two months.
The 19-year-olds are on a small GC SUNS injury list, and assistant coach Ken Hinkley says the squad is in good shape three weeks out from its NAB Cup openers against Melbourne and the Brisbane Lions.
Both are expected to play some role in the pre-season competition and be available for selection for the first round of the season proper against Adelaide on March 31.
"They've both had little interruptions but not major stuff," Hinkley said.
"Brandon has had a little bit of a groin issue but he trained Monday and missed today (Wednesday) with a bit of management, and Trent was the same. He's just building his program right now and we're really positive about both those boys being in really good shape come round one."
Goalsneak Matera played 12 games last season, with the second half of his campaign cruelled by the groin issue that led to surgery.
He came back for the final two rounds – starring with a season-high 26 disposals and three goals in round 24 against Hawthorn - and has been on modified training most of the pre-season, including running laps at the Suns' Wednesday morning session at Metricon Stadium.
McKenzie had a brilliant first year, playing 21 games and wowing the AFL with his prodigious left boot.
However since returning from the GC SUNS altitude training camp in Arizona in late November he has been on restricted training.
Despite the hiccups, Hinkley said the majority of the squad was in top shape.
"The conditioning team has managed them well over the pre-season and they've got them in shape, where we want them to be, and we're happy with a healthy list," he said.
"We've had a really good month where we've had the whole lot together and we're really comfortable that they've had a lot of training together."
Hinkley said Gold Coast were likely to give all of its fit players – including captain Gary Ablett – a run in the NAB Cup at Metricon Stadium on February 25.
"Because it's two games you'll have a really big squad. The blokes who are fit enough and well enough to go out there, we'd like to put them out there.
"I've got no doubt that Gary (Ablett) will be part of our NAB Cup at some stage. I read that Juddy is going to play, all the good players … Jonathan Brown is going to play. The season says you have to prepare for it well and that involves playing games of footy."
