PORT Adelaide star Robbie Gray has returned to training with the Power after making a successful recovery from testicular cancer.
Gray was running laps of Alberton Oval with marquee recruit, former Brisbane Lions captain Tom Rockliff, as the Power's senior players started pre-season training on Monday.
Gray had surgery at the end of last season and underwent chemotherapy as a precaution.
The 29-year-old enjoyed an outstanding year for the Power playing predominately as a small forward, booting 47 goals and earning his third All Australian selection.
Rockliff, who is on a modified program after having a shoulder operation a couple of months ago, said it was great to train alongside Gray.
"No one could understand what he's gone through … but he's obviously going really well from that side of things," Rockliff said.
"He was covering the ground really well and he was a little bit the same as me; he'll be building up to Christmas and after Christmas he'll probably be back into full training.
"He's in really good spirits."
Couple of absolute stars here - Robbie Gray and Tom Rockliff. Great to see Robbie back on the track after his cancer scare @AFLcomau pic.twitter.com/nk2Cg9iq1x
— Lee Gaskin (@Lee_Gaskin1) November 26, 2017
Rockliff said the main topic of conversation between the pair was about what it's like to be a father for the first time.
"I've just had a newborn, Jack's 10 weeks old, and Robbie is three or four weeks away from having his first," Rockliff said.
"Spoke a little bit about that. Spoke a little bit about footy. Just general chit chat.
"It was good just to run around with him and pick his brain on the way Port play and the different game plan."
Rockliff expects to be back in full training early in the new year after nursing his shoulder through the second half of last season.
"I'm probably eight or nine weeks post-operation now, starting to pick up the workload and I'll pick that up towards Christmas, and after Christmas I should be full training and build from there," he said.
"The operation was more to go in and get it cleaned up and make sure we hit the ground running next year."
Rockliff joined the Power as a free agent at the end of last season after 154 games with the Lions.
The dual Lions club champion and 2014 All Australian admitted to having a few butterflies before training with his new club for the first time.
"It's a little bit like going to high school," he said.
"When you've been at a footy club for so long, I've been accustomed to the way the Brisbane Lions do it for nine years.
"It'll take a little bit of time to build that connection in all of us and work out our strengths and weaknesses."
Ex-Cat Steven Motlop took part in full training in his first session with the Power, while All Australian ruckman Paddy Ryder and midfielder Brad Ebert weren't on the track.
Power draftees – ruckman Sam Hayes, midfielders Kane Farrell, Jake Patmore and Joel Garner – were eased into their new surroundings, while mature-age recruit Dom Barry was more heavily involved.
Midfielder Karl Amon finished on top in the Power's 3x1km time trial, ahead of former Demons captain Jack Trengove, Tom Clurey, Jimmy Toumpas and Will Snelling.