WESTERN Bulldogs midfielder Tom Liberatore has declared he will be ready to play in the opening round of 2019.
The consistent ball-winner missed almost the entire 2018 season after rupturing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in round one last season.
Liberatore is back in full training and participating in match simulation and is excited about getting back out on the field.
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"My knee's going well," Liberatore the club's website during a pre-season camp in Mooloolaba.
"I've been back into full training since the end of December, early January.
"I think so – I'll be ready to go (for round one). I'm good to go now, so I'll just make sure I have good prep (preparation) from now until then and I'll be good to go.
"I'm excited to get around a bunch of new players, because we've had a few changes, and just excited to get out there and play again."
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Liberatore has impressed on the track and is eyeing being part of the Bulldogs' JLT Community Series campaign.
The 26-year-old signed a one-year deal with the Dogs and is hoping to recapture the form he displayed early on in his career.
Liberatore said he had already learned plenty in his rehab this time around after he went through a similar recovery process when he injured his opposite knee in 2015.
"I think it helps that I've done it before," Liberatore said.
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"Having this prep this time around, having played a few games against ourselves and getting that duration of match practice under my belt (helps). There's similar challenges.
"The repetitiveness of rehab can sometimes get a bit monotonous, but it's been a bit smoother this time having the previous experience."
The Bulldogs are on Queensland's Sunshine Coast for their pre-season training camp, which marks the fifth successive year they have held it.