The Lions will stage a fully contested training session with match simulation over three 30-minute periods at Coorparoo on Thursday.
They'll then go into a three-day break full of confidence after outgunning the Hawks by 11 points in the Lions' first win of the year.
"We've been looking for most of the pre-season for that output and I think that was the first time that we got that team performance together," Sherman said.
"I think we found out just how well we can work together as a team when all our structures and our set plays work."
With new recruit Brent Staker (three goals) set to be unleashed against his former teammates in round one against West Coast at the Gabba, Sherman says Staker is one of a number of prize recruits who have bolstered the Lions outfit.
"They're not going to have to worry about three or four, they're going to have to worry about the whole side," Sherman said.
"Ultimately that's where we want to get to and I think we're nearly there."
Sherman will be handed a similar role to Staker in season 2010, running forward and crumbing goals off Jonathan Brown and Brendan Fevola.
The 23- year-old, entering his sixth season with the Lions, is still expecting to spend time in the midfield but it could be a much taller centre square with the likes of Mitch Clark, Matthew Leuenberger, Joel Patfull and Staker just some of the names being rotated through.
"We've got a lot of guys capable of going through there," Sherman said.
"We're setting a great foundation with a lot of guys being able to play in various different roles."
Sherman said the lift in standard had made it more competitive at training, and Thursday's trial would be an all-out battle for spots for round one.
"You're rocking up to training not only with a competitive mindset but I think pretty happy as well knowing that we've got a team now that's on the way up," he said.
"We've got a great squad that is going to take us to bigger and better things this year hopefully."
Sherman said the biggest improvement in the Lions game in 2010 under second-year coach Michael Voss would be quicker ball movement.
"We've been practising most of the summer trying to move the ball and transition. Also being able to get back and flood up the defence and really hit on our counter attack because that's where we're pretty strong, we've got a lot of quick guys in the side."
The quicker ball movement could have an added benefit, with rookie forward Aaron Cornelius predicting it will mean the return of the speccie.
"Playing forward, you miss the guys that are able to take the speccies like Modra and Ablett, but hopefully we'll see a bit of that this year as the ball is coming in a lot quicker," he said.
"Hopefully if I get in there I will try to, but for the time being I reckon I'll be taking them in the reserves."
