Bock to lift Suns’ spirits

THE arrival of a former AllAustralian AFL defender has signalled the dawning of a new era at Northern Beaches Suns.

But it runs much deeper than one key signature.

Former Adelaide Crows defender and Australian international Nathan Bock will join the Suns leadership team next season as the club aims to avenge a torrid season in the AFL Townsville.

Bock, who coached the Southport Sharks in the VFL in recent seasons, joins the Suns with more than 150 games of AFL experience in his back pocket.

He is expected to front up to the club’s pre-season training in the coming weeks which started with a five-week conditioning block last week.

The club’s pre-season is being led by sports scientist Drew Harrison,who has developed structured training programs for each group from under-13s to the senior ranks.

Former president and club stalwart Geoff Toulson, who stepped down at the weekend’s AGM due to personal reasons, said the professional change in then club had been months in the making.

“We are getting 50-plus people to it, we are doing two sessions at The Green and then some strength resistance training at the gym,” he said.

“It is the first time we have had training like the representative training. He is measuring everything, he is giving people personalised programs and nutrition advice.

“It was a long and arduous year this year with so many uncertainties. We decided to push a reset button. We spent basically three months putting together the programs.

“We had people from all over Australia and they played in successful clubs in Afl-rich states.

“We asked ‘ how do you get (the players) up and how do you get that winning mentality?’

“We pushed the reset button in the background and this is what we came up with.”

The Suns will continue their pre-season block until the week before Christmas before breaking for the festive season.

Toulson said he expected the club would return in midJanuary to launch another sixweek intense training block ahead of pre-season trials.

Bock is expected to be a big part of the proceedings after he was recruited by Suns coach Brad Mclaren.

The experienced veteran is expected to bring plenty of nous to the field but also to the coaches bench, where he is expected to fill in as a line coach under Mclaren.