Robertson on the road to recovery

MELBOURNE high-flying forward Russell Robertson has started walking and is no longer wearing a moonboot after he sustained a serious achilles injury against St Kilda at Telstra Dome in round 10 earlier this season.

The set-back, which occurred when Robertson was involved in a marking contest late in the game, forced him out for the rest of the 2008 season.

But Melbourne football operations manager Ross Monaghan said Robertson was starting his slow road to recovery.

"Russell's walking now and walking comfortably with no crutches and boots," Monaghan told melbournefc.com.au.

"That's all he can do at the moment – he won't be doing too much for awhile – but he's walking, which is really good.

"He's able to walk and swim, but he can't run for some period of time."

Monaghan said the club was pleased with Robertson's progress.

"Everyone is really, really pleased with the way he's going, but there is a lot of consciousness from everyone – particularly Russell – that he doesn't do too much. So we're taking it slowly."

Robertson has played 215 matches and kicked 399 goals for Melbourne. He won Melbourne's best-and-fairest award in 2003 and has topped the club's goalkicking tally on three occasions.