After being a late selection in the 2015 Rookie Draft, Jesse Joyce leapt from the rookie list in the middle of last year to play 11 senior games, surprising many with his emergence from the shadows into the limelight.

With a fit playing list, the SUNS Academy product knows he needs to step up his game if he’s to cement a spot in Rodney Eade’s best 22 in 2017, with a focus on improving his marking.

“I need to improve physically a bit and add some new things to my game,” Joyce told SUNS TV.

READ: Joyce guiding five young Academy players

“Marking is something I really want to work on. I feel like I read the play well so I need to impact the ball in the air a bit more and get more touches.”

Former teammate turned development coach Nick Malceski is playing a major role mentoring the 19-year-old Gold Coaster.

The All-Australian and premiership player made a name for himself as a rebounding defender and is passing on the lessons learnt from 210 games at the elite level.

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“Nick’s been awesome for me. I played with him last year and he’s a wealth of knowledge,” Joyce said.

“Going into this pre-season he’s been really eager to teach me what he’s been able to do in his career, which is get more of the footy.

“We’re going to look to get more into that marking aspect as we go on, but he’s been really awesome so far going through the vision with him and just feeding off what he’s built his game on. It’s been really good.”