HULTGREN PACES HIS RETURN

ST JOSEPH’S co-captain Rhys Hultgren says he won’t push himself for a Round 1 return from a knee reconstruction, despite tracking in the right direction.

The key forward met his surgeon on Wednesday to discuss a playing return, nearly eight months after tearing his ACL in a game against Bell Park.

Hultgren, 28, joined his teammates in drills at training on Monday but is unable to join in contact training as he eyes an early season return.

“Round 1 is in sight but it’s just a matter of ticking a few more boxes in terms of agility and getting confidence back in everything, but it’s all tracking accordingly which is good,” he said.

“I haven’t had any setbacks or anything in that regard. Rounds 3 or 4 are more realistic — that’ll be 12 months to the date — so it’ll be just depend how the body’s feeling and how the confidence is at that point in time.

“I’ll ramp up my agility side of things, but I started joining in drills just before Christmas and then did most of the session Monday night but felt good so just pulled out because it was going to be my first full one.”

Hultgren said he had done more work over the Christmas break than in pre-seasons gone, keen to return to football after watching from the sidelines in September as his teammates made it back-to-back premierships.

“I’ve had six or seven months off now, so it’s probably me being eager to get back into it as well.

“Once you get the free rein to get back running and moving again, it’s good to be able to hit the ground running and try and get some aerobic capacity back,” he said.

“I’ve spent countless hours in the St Joseph’s gym, that’s where I’ve done most of my work.

“I’m trying to do some cross-training where I can as well, like bike and swimming and rowing. But to be honest, it’s been pretty straightforward.”

Hultgren, who is yet to be reinstalled with Alex Hickey as co-captains in 2019, said new coach Paul Carson had brought a fresh outlook to the powerhouse club.

“He’s been good. I haven’t had too much to do with the footy side of things, given I’ve just integrated back into the group, but the feeling is good, the vibe is up and training seems to be at a really high level,” he said.