COLLINGWOOD star Dane Swan says he will never again have full flexibility in his left wrist, but he is confident it will not affect his ability to play.
Swan had surgery in November and has steadily built up his strength in the lead up to the premiership season.
He played in the second NAB Challenge game and also appeared in the Pies' practice match against Gold Coast on Saturday.
"The wrist is going all right, not 100 per cent yet but it's certainly good enough to play footy," Swan said at the Westpac Centre on Thursday.
"I'll certainly never get full range again, but I'm pretty much doing full weights now.
"The last month it's come on really well, so hopefully in two or there weeks it'll be 100 per cent again."
Just eight days away from its round one clash with Fremantle at Etihad Stadium, Collingwood sits in a much better position than this time last year, when a number of its key players were under injury clouds.
Only Jarryd Blair (toe) and Marley Williams, who is waiting to be sentenced over a grievous bodily harm charge, will be unavailable for the game against the Dockers.
"I think we are better prepared this time. We've had a great pre-season, the main bulk of our squad is pretty injury-free, so we think we're in a pretty good spot to give Freo a big shake next Friday night," Swan said.
Swan said the health of the club's midfield group, in particular, had it primed for a strong start to the season.
Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Dayne Beams and Luke Ball have played limited game time together in the past.
But the Brownlow medallist said the virtual addition of Beams, who battled a long-term quad injury early last season, would help complement the Pies' midfield depth.
"Me, Pendles, Beamsy and Bally haven't played too much footy together over the last couple of years," Swan said.
"It'll be good to get him (Beams) out there. He is another attacking weapon for us which means one of us can rest forward at times, while the other three are in there (the midfield)."
"I think he's going to have a super year this year."
