Jesse Hogan’s fitness has improved and the troubled forward is almost ready to rejoin Fremantle following a mental health break.

Hogan has battled serious injuries and personal issues since joining the Dockers at the end of 2018.

But Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir expects the former Melbourne spearhead to return to the Dockers once the competition resumes.

Hogan went on indefinite leave from football in January to focus on his mental health.

“I think he’d be ready to come back and join the footy club in some aspect,“ Longmuir told SEN on Friday.

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“He missed a lot of pre-season with the foot injury that he sustained last year.

“He’s still got a body of work to do to get physically up to AFL footy but the most positive thing to come out of this that Jesse is healthy and wants to be part of the footy club.

“His mental wellbeing has always been front of mind and that will continue to be the case.”

Longmuir said Hogan had been committed to training even during the COVID-19 enforced suspension of the AFL season.

Camera Icon David Teague (right), coach of the Carlton Blues and Justin Longmuir, coach of the Fremantle Dockers Credit: RICHARD WAINWRIGHT / AAPIMAGE

“In the last couple of weeks I’ve had some communication with Jesse and caught up with him a couple times and he seems in a really good frame of mind first and foremost,” Longmuir said.

“He also looks really fit and healthy so it’s all positive at the moment.

“He’s obviously training by himself and still has a lot of hurdles to get over but the signs are good.”

The 25-year-old kicked 152 goals from 71 games for the Demons after making his AFL debut in 2015.

But Hogan was restricted to 12 appearances last year in his first season at Fremantle after suffering a navicular foot injury that required surgery.

Fremantle also ruled Hogan unavailable for the 2019 season opener due to him missing a training session after a drinking session.