GOLD Coast got a sneak peek into its round one conditions on Monday morning, completing a match simulation in stifling hot weather at Carrara.
The Suns play the first of nine successive road games to begin their premiership campaign on March 24 when they 'host' North Melbourne in Cairns.
And just like it's expected to be in north Queensland on that night, the weather was brutally difficult at their Metricon Stadium training field on Monday.
With the temperature hitting 33 degrees and humidity in excess of 70 percent, the ball resembled a cake of soap, so slippery was it once hitting players' hands or jumpers.
It led to a lot of fumbling of ground balls and rushed disposals, but with the intensity high, coach Stuart Dew would have liked what he saw.
Midfielder Jarryd Lyons was the only injury scare, turning his ankle late in the contest, but after gingerly walking from the field alongside trainers, he later left the precinct on his own and with no sign of hobbling or discomfort.
The match simulation was played in two 15-minute quarters followed by two 10-minute quarters, and was watched by a number of first-choice players whose workloads were being managed.
David Swallow and Pearce Hanley were two notable absentees, running and kicking around the boundary line after excellent pre-seasons to date.
Peter Wright (illness) and Ben Ainsworth (mild concussion) both had setbacks last week and were on light duties but are expected to rejoin the main group again shortly.
Sam Day competed strongly as he continues his long road back from a dislocated hip, while second-year Academy product Brad Scheer was lively in the forward line.
Day has proven his fitness following his horror injury which was likened to one seen in a car crash and Dew said he was on target to play in Saturday's AFLX tournament.
"He's tracking well so far and he'll train Monday, have a light run on Wednesday and he's on track to play unless something bobs up," Dew told AAP.
The first-year coach said Day's comeback had inspired the playing group, given how extreme his injury was.
"He kicked a couple of goals in our match simulation (last Thursday) and it does give the players a lift when you see someone go through that and be able to come back," he said.
Adelaide recruit Harrison Wigg ran for the first time since fracturing his ankle in December, with the entire Suns team cheering on his first few run-throughs.
With the national athletics championships being held at Metricon Stadium later this week, the Suns will conduct training at Bond University on Wednesday and Friday – a venue they will call home for a couple of months before, during and after the Commonwealth Games.
