West Coast forward Jake Waterman says he is fully fit and eager for Sunday’s season opener on the Gold Coast, despite being rested from Tuesday’s main training session as part of a planned load‑management approach.

Waterman was impressed by Gold Coast’s sharp display in their opening‑round 56-point win, acknowledging the challenge awaiting the Eagles.

“They looked hot, they caught Geelong pretty quick and they just looked damaging, they played the conditions really well,” Waterman said.

With new star power added to the Gold Coast midfield, a talented group of academy players and a strong home‑ground advantage, Waterman said the Suns will be a significant early test.

“There is no greater test for our young squad at the moment than to go on a long road trip together in round one up against a team that I think some would fancy early on as a premiership favourite,” Waterman said.

Waterman said the Eagles’ underdog status wasn’t a concern, nor was motivation.

“I don’t need much to fire me up for round one. I haven’t played a lot of footy for this club in a while, so getting back out there motivates me enough,” Waterman said.

“We’re young and we’ve got nothing to lose, we’ll go out there and try to play our way.”

Waterman was enthusiastic about the club’s three first‑round draftees - Willem Duursma, Cooper Duff-Tytler and Josh Lindsay, who have pushed strongly through the pre‑season.

“They’ve played every game and performed pretty well, very mature heads on young bodies. Whether they play round one or not, we’ll be seeing them pretty soon,” Waterman said.

With several experienced forwards moving on and Waterman missing much of 2025, the club’s attacking group has undergone significant change.

“I’ve got a very young forward line at the moment,” Waterman said.

“Now it’s up to me to develop those relationships with the guys coming through.”

Waterman praised Jacob Newton, Jobe Shanahan, Archer Reid and Cooper Duff‑Tytler for their growth, noting that cohesion inside 50 will be crucial.

“We’re going to make the most of every inside‑50 opportunity, a lot of it comes down to running patterns and looking out for each other.”

Waterman is also expecting to cross paths with Suns defender Sam Collins once again, after facing off in the AFL Origin match in February.

“Collins makes you work for it and I love those matchups, it makes me jump out of my skin,” Waterman said.

“As a forward, you’ll have days where it’s on and days where it’s not going for you, but as long as you keep fighting for your team and doing the things that you know make you a good player, then at least you can shake hands with each other and respect how you went about it.”