While many around the city continue to enjoy the holiday season, it’s business as usual for the Gold Coast SUNS who returned to pre-season training today following the Christmas break.

With the Club being the first team to return from the end of season break last year, the GC SUNS coaching staff are eager to see the playing group stay ahead of the competition.

Despite not starting back until next week, senior coach Guy McKenna made his way down to Metricon Stadium to oversee the GC SUNS first training session in 2013, and was pleased with the level of intensity he saw around the ground.

“Leading into Christmas we had a really good physical block of training; boys had to lose weight, while others had to move forward in their running capabilities.”

“In terms of improvement we won’t know until we start testing them next week; Stephen Schwerdt will be back so we’ll ascertain the times measured prior to Christmas and hopefully see the improvement they’ve made over the break.”

“Judging from the shape their in though, their looking pretty good.”

Dion Prestia was welcomed back by the main training group today after returning from minor injury (hamstring), while Trent McKenzie is expected to remain in the rehab group for a further couple of weeks as he returns from knee tendonitis.