Staker, who ruptured his ACL for the second time in 2011 back in Round 23, will miss the entire 2012 season while he recovers from a full knee reconstruction.
It proved a huge blow for the Lions, who will be without one of their most versatile and valuable players for a 12-month period.
The 27 year-old - who joined the Club from the West Coast Eagles at the end of 2009 - remained typically upbeat about his rehabilitation and said he would be kept keep busy during the season.
“I’m sure Vossy will have a few things up his sleeve for me during the season,” Staker said from the Lions’ pre-season training camp in Noosa.
“It also gives me a bit more of a chance to direct my life off the field.”
Part of his off-field involvement with the Club in 2012 will likely include the development of some of his younger team-mates.
“The young group coming through are very solid and are very focussed,” he said.
“It would be great to be involved with the Lions Reserves full-time most weekends, considering I won’t be travelling.”
“Hopefully I can help out with some coaching and mentoring.”
Staker is hoping to focus his energies largely on the team’s forward line and budding key position prospects.
“Hopefully I can work closely with guys like Aaron Cornelius, Josh Green as a small forward, Jordan Lisle and Bryce Retzlaff, and just follow them through the year,” he said.
“Patty Karnezis is my room-mate, so he’ll obviously get a bit of extra attention as well.”
Fortunately for the Lions, Staker is currently the only player hampered with a long-term injury, with every other listed player expected to be in full training with the next couple of weeks.
“There’s not too many in rehab which is a very good thing for the Club,” Staker said.
“I’ll just be taking every day as it comes, and should be cherry ripe in time for the 2013 pre-season.”
