RELIABLE defender Matthew Warnock says the Gold Coast SUNS are “fitter and stronger” heading into this premiership season and are ready to go against St. Kilda this Saturday after a tough and gruelling pre-season campaign.  

The 193cm defender told reporters that the camaraderie around the club was at a high leading into the Easter Saturday blockbuster, with the players confident that they can leave Metricon Stadium with the four premiership points despite enduring heavy margin losses to the Saints last year.  

“We’re going out there to win and we’re going to be doing everything we can,” said Warnock.

“We’ve had some big improvements this pre-season, we’re fitter and stronger and while most clubs might be saying that at this time of the year – we’re confident going into this week that we’re certainly capable of going out there to win.”

For Warnock, it is added mass and size to player’s bodies that he believes makes them pose more of a threat to AFL rivals this year.

“We’ve been lifting some bigger numbers in the gym this year so the results are there …and I think on the track we’ve shown some improvement too so everything is positive this time of the year,” Warnock said.

After a fairytale year in his second AFL Season which included an after-the-goal siren against Richmond last year, midfielder Karmichael Hunt will be looking to build on his promising 2012 campaign.

“I didn’t go out last year to have the year I did, I just went out and put my best foot forward and I guess if you give 100% effort then your intentions are to succeed and get better then I can’t see why you can’t continue to improve,” said Hunt.

‘My mentality has been from the start of pre-season to come back and get some more run through my legs and continue to build my fitness... as I said before I don’t know where this year is going to take me, I don’t know if I’m going to have a better year than last year, but I definitely want to so we’ll just have to wait and see.”