MELBOURNE ruckman Max Gawn has delivered the strongest sign of lining up in round one after a knee setback threatened to derail his start to the season.

The triple All-Australian ruckman ran for the first time at Demons training on Monday after straining his left knee in a training mishap in Maroochydore 10 days ago.

MAX PAIN Gawn suffers knee strain, still hopeful of R1

Gawn, who ditched his knee brace for heavy strapping, walked laps for 20 minutes before running lightly for close to 45 minutes away from the main group.

With the Demons' season-opener against West Coast at Optus Stadium just 41 days away, Gawn is expected to step up his running and re-join main training inside four weeks. 

Gawn, who is tipped to become co-captain or standalone skipper of the Demons this season, will miss selection for Victoria in the State of Origin Bushfire Relief match on February 28.

However, the 28-year-old is eyeing game time in the Demons' second Marsh Community Series match against Hawthorn on March 6.

"I have done a lot of knee injuries but never really done this one," Gawn told reporters on Sunday.

"I am in the hands of doctors and Burgo (fitness boss Darren Burgess) and see them (on Monday). I have had an extended break. It didn't turn out like I wanted to, I was hotel bound for the majority of the time.

"(Burgess) has shown me a couple of Port Adelaide examples and guys who have played soccer who were back in three or four weeks, so that's what I hope I can do and sort it out.

"I was mostly disappointed about my record. I have got five years of every pre-season session and I had one session to go to finish this pre-season.

"If it was my right leg (after two ACLs), I wouldn't have been as talkative and wouldn't be here right now. So, it's my left knee which I am much happier now."

Teammate Angus Brayshaw ran strongly on Monday, removing his elbow brace following a strained ligament last month.

Defender Michael Hibberd failed to complete the two-hour session, hobbling off Gosch's Paddock after copping a cork to his right calf. 

Injury-plagued midfielder Aaron vandenBerg, who had graduated to full training in recent weeks, also left the track early with a right foot complaint.

Small forward Charlie Spargo continued his comeback from an ankle setback, while Jake Melksham, Joel Smith and Mitch Hannan clocked big sessions in the rehab group. 

Harley Bennell was put through his paces with light running and basic kicking for an hour after signing officially as a Demon last week.

Key defender Steven May, who underwent a knee clean-up in early January, wasn't sighted on the track despite training last week at the Demons' Queensland training camp.