THINGS have heated up at Gold Coast training, with Suns teammates Campbell Brown and Mav Weller exchanging a barrage of verbal taunts towards each other on Monday.

The players were walking off Metricon Stadium near the end of a lengthy training session when they became involved in the confrontation.

At one stage Brown stormed towards Weller but was dragged away by Karmichael Hunt.

There was no physical contact but there was obvious animosity between the two.

Brown joked about the incident afterwards, saying it was just a little "feedback" between the pair.

"As far as I’m concerned that’s healthy feedback and we move on," Brown said.

"We’ve really worked this pre-season on communication to one another. While that probably didn’t look great, the message certainly got across.

"There’s no hard feelings. These things happen all the time, and you take it and move on."

Although Brown did not elaborate on what set him off, the firebrand forward said things often became more physical as the season got closer.

And for him, this pre-season is more important than most.

The 29-year-old will sit out the first six games of the premiership season through suspension, and said the NAB Cup was his best vehicle to show he still had a place in the Suns’ best 22.

"I know those four NAB Cup games are going to be crucial for me to find some form, get some match practise and let the coaching staff know I’m there to put my hand up in round seven when I’m available, so I’m taking it very seriously," he said.

Brown said the Suns would put their best foot forward in the competition, hoping to build on a strong end to 2012 and generate momentum going into the premiership matches.

"We’re going to approach every single NAB Cup game with a quality side and trying to win it so we can find our form and take it into the season," he said.

“Last year we didn’t focus too heavily on the NAB Cup and we took that lacklustre start into the first few rounds and things didn’t go great from there on. Confidence for a young group is crucial I think."

Gold Coast starts its NAB Cup campaign against Hawthorn and the Brisbane Lions at Metricon Stadium on February 23.

Michael Whiting covers Gold Coast news for AFL.com.au. Follow him on Twitter: @AFL_mikewhiting