Gold Coast SUNS recruit Greg Broughton is embracing the challenge of proving himself at his new club, telling goldcoastfc.com.au he’s looking to cement a spot in the team’s revamped backline.

The former Fremantle Docker, found himself stuck on 15 games last season, after a finger injury in Round 16 saw him sit out for the remainder of the year.

Broughton is hoping the move to the tourism hotspot will help rejuvenate his career, and is already settling in nicely after moving in with fellow WA teammates Kyal Horsley and Jaeger O’Meara.

“I previously played WAFL footy with [Kyal] Horsley before coming over, and knew a couple of the other boys before coming over which certainly helped.”

“Staying with Horsley and O’Meara has also made the transition a lot easier.”

Broughton also played with GC SUNS assistant coach Dean Solomon during the first two years at his former club, and cited a phone conversation with Solomon as a factor in his decision to leave Western Australia.  

“I did speak with Solly [Solomon] before coming over, and that probably made my decision to come over here and give it a crack easier.”

Having grown up idolising GC SUNS Coach Guy McKenna, Broughton says his valuable experience would provide Bluey’s young line-up with more fire-power.

“The playing group is pretty similar in comparison with Fremantle; the playing list is starting to become more mature now with those third and fourth year players starting to develop.”

“It’s an exciting group… they’ve been working really hard and certainly look to be in for a good year.”

When asked what it would be like to play alongside arguably the competition’s best player in Gary Ablett, Broughton said he still hadn’t quite got his head around it yet.

“It still hasn’t really sunk in yet; it probably won’t until I run out and realise I’m playing alongside one of the game’s greatest players.”