DAMIEN Hardwick has not taken long to make an impact on the Gold Coast.

A week into the their first pre-season with the three-time premiership mentor, Suns players came off the training track exhausted, but beaming, late on Monday morning.

With all players back collectively for the first time under Hardwick, they completed a series of ballistic ball movement drills before finishing with some running and skill work on a hot and humid morning at Carrara.

Veteran David Swallow walked off and said "it's different" with a smile on his face.

Reigning best and fairest Noah Anderson, who is entering his fifth season, described the training as "intense".

"There's a real purpose behind the drills and the boys are picking it up quickly, so it's exciting," Anderson said.

"They're pretty short and sharp (drills).

"Everything is done at a really high intensity with a purpose to the way we want to play. Quick rests, high intensity, and it's over pretty quick."

While Hardwick's appointment to replace Stuart Dew was well documented, the former Richmond coach has also restructured his assistant line-up, bringing in Shaun Grigg, Nick Malceski and Richard Douglas as new faces from last year.

Grigg, who played under Hardwick for nine seasons before taking up a coaching role at Geelong, said the system was all about playing to the strengths of the players.

"We understand there's going to be some challenges early on," he said.

"The guys' ability to work … and to come in and learn the new gameplan has been first class.

"It might be a bit clunky at training early on and when we throw in opposition and start playing games it'll be a different challenge."

Anderson, who will be coached by Grigg in the midfield, said they were picking up Hardwick's gameplan quickly.

"I feel like with the group we've got we're really suited to play the way he wants us to play.

"Basically, he's trying to get us to play off natural instinct inside a perimeter. It's nothing too complex."