It was never going to be anything but the SUNS for Charlie Ballard.

Fresh off signing a new four-year contract which will keep him on the Gold Coast until 2025, Ballard said he never entertained the idea of leaving the club and jumped at the opportunity to commit long-term.

“I’m just happy with how it is up here, I’m really happy with all my mates I’ve got here, I’m really happy with how the club’s going and I’m really happy with where I’m living,” Ballard said.

“I’m stoked at the moment and locked (my contract) in pretty quick.”

“I think seeing other people commit to the club is really good and also I hope that my contract can push some other people to keep committing as well because I think we’ve got a really good group here and we’re going to do some good things.”

Ballard joined his fellow 1^st to 4^th year teammates when pre-season training resumed on Monday with the standard 2km time trial.

Josh Corbett took out the honours amid a number of improved performances and personal bests from the club’s young crop of players.

Ballard said it was exciting to be back in training for what is shaping as an important 2021 season for the club.

“I think you can see each game how much better we’re getting but I think we really need to show this year how much of a difference on the scoreboard and then at the end of the year,” he said. 

“We just don’t want to be competing every week, we want to be the team to beat.

“We want to turn from the hunters to the hunted.

“I think we definitely owe our fans and the Gold Coast community and definitely each other to get some wins.”