Gold Coast SUNS newest recruit Josh Fraser is, as he puts it, ‘pushing the little fella around in the pram’ when we interview him.

At a club made up mostly of nineteen year old kids, the thought that Fraser is old enough to be a dad – he and his wife of two year’s have just celebrated son Ted’s first birthday - takes a little bit of getting used to at first.

Fraser, 28, joins the GC SUNS from Collingwood, the club that drafted him with much fanfare with its first pick in the 1999 National Draft. His role at his new footballing home will be a big one - he’ll share the ruck duties, mentor the club’s raw up-and-coming ruckmen, and, given the way the GC SUNS list is shaping up, he’ll probably spend a significant slice of his time rotating through the forward line as a key goal-kicking target.

It’s a lot to take on, but after eleven seasons and 200 games with the Magpies, Fraser is chomping at the bit for a new challenge.

“For me to go up there to get the opportunity to play at the level I think I’m capable of is a great thing given where I’m at in my career. For me, the timing couldn’t be better. The responsibility of shouldering things on-field is what I’ve been crying out for in many ways. And I’ve had a leadership role at Collingwood for a while, and that’s always something I’ve really enjoyed.”

Fraser hasn’t spent much time on the Gold Coast but he’s looking forward to a change of scene.

“I was up there for a long weekend for a footy trip once but probably came back none the wiser as to what the Coast was like. But, seriously, I’ve only heard good reports. My whole family is all really looking forward to the change. Somewhere warm, too! I’ve spoken to Bluey (Senior Coach Guy McKenna) about it a fair bit and he absolutely raves about the place. ”

McKenna was an Assistant Coach at Collingwood, so Fraser knows him well. He says the opportunity to reconnect with a man he respects as a man and a coach was a real drawcard.

“Don’t tell him that, though,” Fraser says. “I’ll never hear the end of it.”

It won’t be Fraser’s only reminder of things Collingwood. One of his closest mates is recenty retired Pies onballer Shane O’Bree. ‘Obes’ will start up as midfield coach when he returns from his honeymoon in a few weeks. There’s also midfielders Sam Iles and Danny Stanley who spent time on Collingwood’s list a few season’s back. Even Gold Coast’s resident IT guru Russell ‘Rusty’ Butler served an apprenticeship at the Magpies.

Fraser laughs at the mention of Butler’s name. “Yep, I remember Rusty, alright. He was the glue that held the place together! But you know all these [ex-Collingwood] guys are coming from a club that’s had it’s fair share of success in recent times so hopefully that all adds up to something they can bring with them.”

He says he can’t help but feel a certain amount of disappointment at leaving the club that nurtured him, particularly just as Collingwood finally achieved the ultimate success.

“I mentioned on Melbourne radio this morning that premierships take five or six years work to win, and so you of course feel like you’re part of the overall success, but when you’re standing on the MCG watching the boys who were picked to play get their medals while you’re thrilled for the club and the supporters you can’t help but feel a bit of a hole in your guts because you’ve missed out. I think that part of me will always remain, but footy’s footy, mate. It’s a pretty cruel industry. You just dust yourself off.”

He says the buzz attached to reigniting his career at a start up club helps enormously.

“To be honest I reckon I might think differently if my second chance wasn’t on the Gold Coast. I think the fact there’s so much excitement about everything has really re-energised the way I’m think about my football and what I can do and achieve. The opportunity to help establish a culture from the ground up. You look at what guys like Gary [Ablett] and Bocky [Nathan Bock] and Browny [Campbell Brown] will bring. There’s some really good ingredients for a really successful club going forward.”

Fraser will now head overseas for a short holiday before joining his new teammates.

“I’m just going to get away for a week or so to freshen up. When I get back, the whole family will come up and get a feel for the place. Realistically I think Kylie and Ted will move up more permanently after Christmas, but I’m pretty keen to get up there and get things happening. Physically I’m feeling really good so it’ll be awesome to get back into some training.”