INJURED Port Adelaide midfielder Sam Colquhoun is entering the home straight of his rehabilitation and hopes to make himself available for selection early next season.
Colquhoun ruptured his ACL in April this year, while playing for the Magpies in the SANFL and underwent a traditional knee reconstruction.
He impressed in 2013, his first season for the Power, after being overlooked at the 2012 NAB AFL Draft.
He was picked up by Port at the pre-season draft and managed 10 games – including two finals - as the League's youngest player.
Colquhoun has a natural ability to accumulate possessions and averaged almost 26 possessions a game this year before injuring his knee.
The 19-year-old said that while sidelined this year he had spent considerable time in the gym to ensure that when he did return, he'd have no issue holding his own at senior level.
Without wanting to add unnecessary pressure to the back-end of his rehabilitation, he predicted a return to competitive work wasn't too far away.
"It's good to have all the boys back, I spent a bit of time by myself through October," Colquhoun said.
"It's been about six-and-a-half months for me at the moment, I've been running for about two months, three months.
"At the moment I'm just ticking off each process … I've got no real expectations on a [return] date … just early in the season.
"I'm feeling very fit and it's a good opportunity for me to put on some physical strength and come back a more rounded, solid player."
While he hasn't yet progressed to full training, Colquhoun will fly with his teammates to Dubai on December 5 for the Power's heat training camp.
