JONATHON Patton has taken another positive step in his rehabilitation from a knee reconstruction by completing a three-kilometre time trial – won by Tom Scully - as Greater Western Sydney's players returned to pre-season training on Monday.

Key forward Patton, who is on the comeback trail after injuring his knee in round 21 last season, joined in as the Giants' main group ran the endurance test together for the first time this pre-season.



Scully took the honours ahead of athletic tall forward Adam Tomlinson, while rising star Josh Kelly finished third.



Tom Bugg and Jake Barrett rounded out the top five among a field of 37 players, who impressed vice-captain Scully with their efforts at Tom Wills Oval.



"It was a good start to the year," Scully told the Giants' website.



"The boys have worked really hard up until Christmas, finished off with a really good Noosa camp, came out today and got some really good times so the boys should be pretty proud of their work and it sets us up for a big summer period."



Back off Tom Scully, says GWS coach



Scully's time trial victory was all the more impressive given he spent most of the pre-Christmas period training away from the main group.



The former Demon, who was the No.1 pick in the 2009 NAB AFL Draft, had been in the Giants' rehab group while he recovered from a bout of knee surgery after round 18.



"I feel really good, (I) obviously worked pretty hard with the rehab group and got myself into reasonable shape so I was reasonably happy with my run today and just to get a time trial under your belt gives you a bit more confidence," Scully said.



"I’m just looking forward to getting into more training and games aren’t too far away now, so it’s an exciting time of year."



The Giants endured a tough training camp in Noosa in mid-December and Scully said the group can sense that playing matches is on the horizon.



"Up until Christmas we do a lot of fitness components, we’re still doing a lot of skills but now we get into the more game-specific stuff," he said.



"The season’s not too far away now and I think the boys are really excited about that and we just can’t wait to get out there and start playing games."



The Giants kick-off their home-and-away campaign against St Kilda at Etihad Stadium on Sunday April 5.