Training hopes for Steven

GEELONG hopes Jack Steven can resume full training next week as he continues to make progress in his return to the club.

Steven went from walking laps on Tuesday to completing running and touch sessions yesterday, two weeks after being stabbed in his chest.

Geelong assistant coach Matthew Knights said the Cats had been encouraged by Steven’s progress and hoped to reintegrate the recruit to full training in the coming days.

“He did some running today and we did some touch with him,” Knights said.

“I don’t know the exact day he’ll resume with the group, I’d say he’d have to go through a few fitness discussions and get through a couple of sessions of conditioning and running before we inject him back in.

“It’s going in the right direction at this stage for Jack.”

Knights didn’t rule Steven out for the Round 2 clash against Hawthorn but it would be a remarkable selection call given he spent two days in hospital recovering from the injury.

He said coach Chris Scott would keep an “open mind” to the possibility of picking the star midfielder. “He hasn’t been able to get the load the other players have the last couple of weeks,” Knights said.

“He’s in decent shape and he’d done a lot of work over the seven-week period we were away from the club.

“He’s going to be an important player over the course of the season. Now we have to get him into game shape.”

Geelong returned to contact training this week and Knights said the club had been buoyed by the condition of the group on its return.

“It’s been great this week to have two main sessions … the whole group involved,” he said.