Suckling and his Western Bulldogs teammates are preparing for a return to training in coming weeks as the AFL looks to resume the competition in June.

Suckling is in his 14^th year on an AFL list and it has been one like no other with the AFL competition suspended since March 22 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With shortened quarters and a smaller season already confirmed by the AFL, Suckling hopes this year can work in his favour.

"I try to see it as a positive for someone in my position," Suckling said.

"I suppose I've done enough pre-seasons and off-seasons that I know kind of where I've got to be to start a season. My training and stuff, once I've got a date, I know where I need to be on that date, so I see that as a positive.

"Shortened games and a shortened season, I'm trying to look at that as a positive too. Hopefully I can stretch out a couple more years, or at least another year."

The 31-year-old is in his fifth season at Western Bulldogs after a stellar career at Hawthorn, that resulted in two premierships.

Suckling said the past six weeks have certainly been the strangest of his career.

"It's definitely something no one would have experienced before, or seen coming," he said.

"I suppose the first few weeks there was a bit of novelty about it, where we could get out and train with one other and I suppose it was a bit of fun. As the week's progressed, I suppose not having a start date, it's been harder to keep motivation levels at a premium.

"We've been given stuff to do from the club and Taylor Duryea and myself have been running three days a week and we've all got our home gyms...so guys have still been punching through that.

"But I think definitely getting a start date, and when we can return to training date, locked in will definitely make it easier for guys to keep training and pushing, which looks likely at the moment."

The AFL expects to know more about start dates after Friday's National Cabinet meeting.

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