Beginning his second stint on an AFL list, Gold Coast defender Sam Collins is both a better person and better footballer than the man delisted from Fremantle 12 months ago.

Collins was all smiles after completing his first week of training at Carrara, saying he learnt plenty in his year at VFL club Werribee.

The strongly built 24-year-old played 14 games for the Dockers across 2016 and 2017 but said a stint in the "real world" this year was just what he needed.

"At first after being delisted I was really disappointed, but I was focused on getting back to enjoying my football and I was able to do that at Werribee," Collins told AFL.com.au.

"I learnt a lot about myself in terms of how hard I can work and my appetite for hard work and success and getting the most out of myself.

"Getting back on an AFL list wasn't my sole goal, it was to get used to the real world.

"I think I've been a lot better player for it."

Gold Coast first met with Collins late in 2017 but ramped up their interest with a mid-season meeting with both he and Werribee teammate Josh Corbett.

The Tigers duo, along with South Australian Chris Burgess, were snapped up by the SUNS with their mature-age priority picks last month.

After graduating from his commerce degree, majoring in finance, in 2015, Collins has worked full-time in the past year while juggling his VFL commitments.

"I was working 8-5, going to Werribee (a 45-minute drive), training, going home, eating dinner, squeezing in weights when I could," he said.

"I've got a much greater appreciation for the (AFL) lifestyle.

"When you see what (the real world) was like and then what it could be like, you're much more driven to stay in the system and get the best out of yourself."

Standing 194cm, Collins is a strong-marking key defender who believes his game has continued to develop.

"Freo was an experience I was really grateful for," he said.

"This is my job and I need to be dedicated but at the same time it's important to be yourself, enjoy your football, be confident in yourself and be able to play on instinct and that was something I got back to. It really worked well for me at Werribee.

"I'm really excited to see what we can do next year."