Alex Sexton has his eyes firmly set on building on his impressive end to last season when he played 14 of the GC SUNS’ last 15 games at AFL level.

After managing ten games in his opening two years at the Gold Coast SUNS due to a persistent hip problem and a shoulder reconstruction, Sexton cemented a spot in the SUNS’ line-up after round nine.

For the first time in a while, the 21-year-old started pre-season training on the opening day of the campaign. Little milestones like this may seem insignificant, but for a player who has suffered more than his fair share of setbacks so early in his career, they are important.

“My body’s good; this is the best I’ve felt in two years coming back. I haven’t had any surgery in the off-season so that’s a positive for me,” Sexton told SUNS TV.

“I haven’t started day one of the pre-season in two years of the pre-season so my body is good.

“I’ve got over my shoulder injury pretty successfully, my hip feels great so I’m just keen to be out there.”

Confidence is a vital commodity in football and on the back of securing a position in the SUNS’ starting 22, Sexton hopes to build on that form throughout the pre-season and take it into the 2015 campaign.

“Playing that many games in a row for me is a big thing. Obviously the first year I played four or five games and then I had to have hip surgery, and the following year with my shoulder I probably strung together six-in-a-row,” he said.

“That’s the most I’ve played (last season) probably all up in NEAFL or AFL in consecutive seasons, so for me that puts me in good stead mentally to strive for round one.”

Despite not playing the role previously, Sexton became the SUNS’ designated run-with player in a handful of games and he says the specific task has helped his football education.

Sexton’s round 21 performances against Port Adelaide’s Jared Polec highlighted his effectiveness as a negating midfielder. The highly-rated Polec was tailed all over Metricon Stadium by Sexton, before being substituted out of the game in the third quarter with just four disposals to his name.

“I think it was a big educational move from the coaching staff. It was a big learning curve for me,” he said.

“If I was to ever be put in that situation again, I’m ready for that role and whatever the team needs.”