For a long time now, utility Alex Sexton has preached his willingness to play any role the coaching staff deem suitable.

After spending most of the 2016 season playing across the middle of the ground, Rodney Eade shifted the Queenslander to a backline role against Hawthorn on Sunday, a move that appeared to be a successful one.

Sexton tallied 22 disposals, seven rebound 50s and gained 570 metres for his side, the fourth most of any player on the field behind three of the game’s elite in Sam Mitchell, Gary Ablett and Luke Hodge.

“I enjoyed it. Usually my role’s playing that outside midfielder and then chopping out down back, I got told mid-week that I’d be playing more of a role down back and a permanent role on the weekend,” Sexton told SUNS TV on Tuesday afternoon.

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“I had plenty of support from the boys around me. Steven May and Jarrod Harbrow, they made sure I was on my game all game and they gave me extreme confidence out there.

“Obviously not the result we wanted but we take a lot of positives out of that, especially as a back group. It was a bit of a different role for me but like I said, the boys supported me.”

After two narrow losses to Richmond and Hawthorn, the mantra around Metricon Stadium is that close enough is no longer good enough.

The SUNS enter this Saturday afternoon’s clash against St Kilda at Metricon Stadium aiming to take home the four premiership points. Sexton is confident the home side can do just that if they play ‘SUNS football’ and bring the effort, contested footy and ball movement against the Saints- who are coming off a thrilling victory over premiership contenders Geelong.

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“We’ve looked at the last two weeks as games that we had a chance to win and we could’ve won,” Sexton said.

“The boys are amped up and ready to go this weekend, that’s for sure.

“We’ll have a look at St Kilda and things we can do to beat them but mostly the week’s going to be focused on playing SUNS football and looking at ways we’ve played well and just get back to our exciting brand that we know can beat anyone.”