ADAM Goodes won't be able to start pre-season running until January for the second consecutive year, but is adamant the rest will stand him in good stead for the 2014 season.

Goodes injured his knee in the Sydney Swans' round 13 loss to Port Adelaide last season and did not play again all year.

But the star Swan said on Thursday he was confident he could put his injury woes behind him in 2014.

"The plan will be very similar to last year. I obviously hurt my knee in the (2012) Grand Final and I didn't start running until January, so that will be the same plan again this year," Goodes said.

"Obviously, it's a different knee but I'm a lot (more) fast-tracked because I stopped playing footy a long time ago, and I'm a lot fresher. And I can do a lot more off-legs (training) this time compared to last year."

Goodes said he was looking forward to playing alongside former Hawk spearhead Lance Franklin next year, but admitted someone might have to make way from the Swans' attack.

"It's a great strength to have. How is it going to work?  Well, we can try a lot of things," Goodes said.

"We're going to have to create an extra tall so we can try a lot of different things. That's what I'm really excited about pre-season is being able to try different things with the forward line.

"Maybe trial a Sammy Reid at centre half-back. Who knows? It's very exciting."

Goodes is in Ireland for the International Rules Series and was "shattered" he could not play, given he had been one of the chief drivers of the all-indigenous Australian team.

However, Goodes assisted the Australian coaches with their preparation for the second Test at Croke Park on Saturday night.

"We didn't really play great football on the weekend so it's a matter of just pumping them up a little bit and sharing a bit of experience from 2010 when I was over here," Goodes said.

Twitter: @AFL_Nick.