Carlton skipper Chris Judd. Credit:Sebastian Costanzo BRISBANE LIONS The Lions are determined to show improvement this season but will have to do so without Brent Staker, who is set to have a knee reconstruction next month. Josh Drummond had hip surgery late last year. He is still in the rehabilitation group but is expected to be fit for the opening round of the NAB Cup. Draftee Sam Docherty also had hip surgery and is on a modified program. He, too, is hopeful of resuming by the start of the season. Claye Beams and Ryan Lester, who both had foot injuries last year and barely played, are training with the main group.

AFL NAB cup Key defender Daniel Merrett and skipper Jonathan Brown, after two horrific facial injuries last year, are in prime condition. "It's important that I give the guys a strong target down in the forward line," Brown said.

CARLTON While captain Chris Judd is ahead of schedule but yet to join in major contact work in his return from minor shoulder surgery, injuries last week derailed two of his teammates. Defender Nick Duigan, a stand-out in his debut season last year, has had minor surgery to remove cartilage from his knee. "It was giving him a bit of pain and a bit of swelling. Now that it has been removed, he'll rest up and be back playing within five to six weeks," Blues general manager of football operations Andrew McKay said. Young forward Luke Mitchell, who has endured three shoulder injuries in 18 months, will be sidelined for at least three months after undergoing a right shoulder reconstruction last Tuesday. "It will be about a 12 to 16-week recovery. Realistically, we'll see Luke back playing footy between rounds six to nine," McKay said.

Mature-aged recruit Sam Rowe hurt his AC joint during a training drill last week. He has escaped surgery and is expected to be fit for the NAB Cup. Forward Jarrad Waite and ruckman Matthew Kreuzer continue to step up their training. Waite will join full skills training in the next fortnight. He missed last year's finals and required hip surgery, while Kreuzer, also absent in September, had a cyst in his calf.

COLLINGWOOD The Magpies are in good health. All-Australian defender Ben Reid was fortunate to avoid shoulder surgery after injuring himself while on holiday with his brother in Thailand. Reid fell awkwardly on a beach. He is undergoing a strength and rehabilitation program and is expected to play some part in the NAB Cup. Fellow defender Nathan Brown, who didn't play a game last year because of two knee injuries, is in full training. So, too, is Heath Shaw, who had post-season hip surgery and was restricted during the team's Arizona camp.



ESSENDON The Bombers are hopeful back surgery in November has fixed Scott Gumbleton's hamstring woes. Gumbleton did not play a senior game last year. Michael Hurley is expected to return to full training early next month after recovering from hamstring tightness, while Jason Winderlich, Courtenay Dempsey and Brent Prismall continue to progress after knee reconstructions. Prismall recently resumed straight-line running and is on a modified training program. Defender David Myers said the playing list had been subjected to an intense pre-season campaign. “It has obviously been a pretty arduous pre-season,” he said. “We are trying to improve on last year and physically I think we have done that.”

FREMANTLE The Dockers remain confident Nat Fyfe, David Mundy and Anthony Morabito, who have had interrupted pre-seasons, will play a role in next month's NAB Cup. Fyfe (groin and shoulder) and Mundy (ankle) had post-season surgery, while Morabito continues to progress from a knee reconstruction. Chris Mayne has rejoined full training while ruckman Aaron Sandilands is running strongly.

"We have got a lot of numbers on the track now," veteran defender Luke McPharlin said. "We had a slow build-up in November, December. A gradual build-up knowing that we have got some older bodies. We have the majority of the team on the track at the moment and the training drills are running pretty smoothly."

GEELONG The Cats were dealt a nasty blow last week when Travis Varcoe, so impressive in last year's grand final, was diagnosed with a foot stress fracture and required surgery. The explosive forward is set to miss the opening four matches of the season. It is the third time in his 100-game career that Varcoe has had his pre-season interrupted by injury. He required surgery in the pre-season last year to correct a shoulder injury he sustained during the international rules tour in Ireland. He also missed the first five matches of 2010 after he broke a thumb in a practice match. Varcoe joins Cats youngsters Nathan Vardy (hip), Daniel Menzel (knee) and Dawson Simpson (back) on the injured list. Football manager Neil Balme said emerging ruck-forward Vardy was back running after hip surgery late last year and was making positive progress. The same is true for forward Menzel, who is aiming to return as early as mid-season from a knee reconstruction that ruined his finals series last year.

GOLD COAST

Defender Jack Hutchins, who played six games last season, is back in training after a nasty fall when attempting a mark before Christmas. It left him with a hyper-extended elbow and knee and a rolled ankle. Hutchins is running and joined the rehab group.

GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY Tom Scully managed just 10 games last season because of a knee injury but says he has completed nearly all of the pre-season training. Jonathon Patton, the No.1 draft pick, is on his way home after having his troublesome knee operated on by a specialist in Sweden. Patton had been diagnosed with patellar tendinopathy, or jumper's knee, in his left joint. He won't resume full training until early April.

HAWTHORN Jarryd Roughead continues to tick the boxes in his return from Achilles surgery, although no date has been set for a return to match play. The forward-ruckman has progressed to sprinting and goalkicking and is now in the skills group.

Key defender Stephen Gilham has recovered from a knee reconstruction, having torn his anterior cruciate ligament against St Kilda in round eight last year, and is now into full training. Coach Alastair Clarkson is delighted with Gilham's progress. "We're hopeful that through his rehabilitation program, he will be back up and running and providing us with support in the back end that he was so well-known for, which culminated in him playing in our 2008 premiership side," Clarkson said. "Stephen is a reliable defender who can play on a range of different types of players. We like the fact that he gives a good balance between negating an opposition player and providing us with terrific rebound options."

MELBOURNE Ruckman Max Gawn is, well, gone for the season as he recovers from a knee reconstruction. Colin Sylvia experienced tightness in his quad at training last week but football manager Josh Mahoney said he would resume running this week. James Strauss (broken leg) is close to resuming full training while Jake Spencer, who ruptured his ACL early last year, continues his rehabilitation. The Demons hope Liam Jurrah, recovering from wrist surgery, will play a part in the NAB Cup.

NORTH MELBOURNE

Daniel Wells has been prevented from doing any contact drills as he recovers from the complications of post-season shoulder surgery that led to life-threatening blood clots in both lungs. However, he has been put through a heavy running schedule and the shoulder is almost back to full strength. Wells says there is no specific time-frame for a return and admits he is touch and go for the season proper. Cam Richardson (hip), Sam Wright (shoulder) and Lachlan Hansen (shoulder) are back in full training.

PORT ADELAIDE Ruckman Matthew Lobbe and forward Cameron Hitchcock have had surgery. Lobbe, who played the final 10 matches of last season, will miss up to 12 weeks after an operation to repair a labral tear in his hip. Hitchcock is also likely to miss three months after he partially dislocated his shoulder while training. Brent Renouf, the former Hawthorn ruckman, is nursing knee tendonitis but is expected to join full training midway through next month.

RICHMOND Jack Riewoldt is progressing well from post-season operations on his left ankle, finger and hips but will not play in the NAB Cup until week three. Slick midfielder Trent Cotchin, elevated to the vice-captaincy, had a minor calf strain after Christmas but is on track for the pre-season competition.



ST KILDA Nick Riewoldt has recovered from post-season knee surgery and, preparing for his 12th season, looked in mint condition at training last week. He is likely to play in one NAB Cup match. "I'm feeling really good. It has been a slow build-up," Riewoldt said. "During the year it is all about maintenance so this is a real window to try and improve and I feel I have got some good strength in there at the moment and [I'm] pain free, so I am looking forward to the season." Lenny Hayes is also likely to play in at least one NAB Cup game, having recovered from a knee reconstruction. "I've been back to full training almost two months now and I'll be right to play in all the intra-clubs and NAB Cup," he said. "I'm at the stage now where I just want to start playing. I haven't played since round two last year, so I'm pretty keen to get out there."

James Gwilt is progressing well from knee surgery but remains in the rehabilitation group, while Daniel Archer has been slowed by a hamstring strain.

SYDNEY Young Swans midfielder Dan Hannebery has had minor knee surgery but is expected to resume running within the next week or so. Hannebery has had a small piece of loose cartilage removed from his left knee. He had been impressive before Christmas, finishing in the top three of the club's endurance trials.

WEST COAST Midfielder Daniel Kerr has had surgery on an injured right finger to correct a ligament problem and has done limited ball work. Nic Naitanui is progressing well from surgery to repair a torn pectoral muscle, an injury he battled with through last year. Scott Selwood has had minor back surgery while former Collingwood forward Brad Dick is in rehabilitation as he recovers from a knee reconstruction.



WESTERN BULLDOGS Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney (knee) and full-back Brian Lake (hip, knee and shoulder) could both play in the NAB Cup although the Dogs will adopt a cautious approach. Cooney has returned to skills training. Assistant coach Shannon Grant said the plan was for Lake to return to battle soon. “He's had no hiccups as yet … he's at the stage now where he's really upped the ante with his running,” he said. "He's doing a lot more of it and he's starting to find himself doing a lot more football-based drills. We'll slowly keep putting him in more the more we go, with the hope that we can get a few games into him before the season starts." Tom Williams (fractured right foot) has resumed running but Dale Morris, who broke his leg in round 21 last season, will be out for some time.