GUN GOLD Coast midfielders Jaeger O'Meara and David Swallow have taken a big step forward in their respective recoveries from knee operations but neither is a certainty for round one.

O'Meara missed the entire 2015 season after rupturing his patella tendon, while Swallow was limited to just six games after succumbing to a posterior cruciate ligament injury.

Both have begun running on the AlterG (anti-gravity) treadmill in the past fortnight, but Suns coach Rodney Eade said he would not be rushing them for the start of the season. 

He did have some good news though, confirming skipper Gary Ablett and fellow midfield ace Dion Prestia were both recovering strongly from their own knee injuries.

"Not putting on any timelines (on their returns)," Eade said. 

"I'm 100 per cent sure, unless anything happens along the way, that Gary and Dion will be (available round one).

"(It) looks at this stage that David’s a really good chance. Jaeger we won’t know, it was a pretty serious injury.

"But if he progresses and there’s no hiccups then there’s a really good chance he will be as well." 

Ablett set for first full-intensity session

Swallow ran on the AlterG two weeks ago and had his first run on grass last week.

"Jaeger started AlterG today so he's about a week or so behind David but he’s progressing really well," Eade said.

"He got a really good report last week off the tendon specialist."

Prestia has returned strongly from a torn lateral meniscus and will be with the main group early in the new year, while Ablett completed his first full session earlier this week.

The star midfield quartet played a total of just 20 games of a possible 88 last season.