MELBOURNE midfielder Jack Trengove has passed another milestone on his path to recovery, with his surgeon happy with how the midfielder's troublesome foot is heeling.

 

The results of scans taken on Monday have cleared the way for Trengove to take another step in his rehabilitation program, with Demons fitness coach Dave Misson telling the club's website the 23-year-old's training load would now increase.

 

"All is tracking pretty well, as we hoped," Misson said.

 

"He'll start doing some more loading work through that foot in the coming weeks and months."

 

The Demons remain hopeful that key players Jeremy Howe and Bernie Vince will return to the fray in the VFL practice match at Casey Fields on Saturday when the Casey Scorpions play Williamstown.

 

"Both of them trained with the group last week and did a big session on Saturday with a few other boys and they trained well again [on Wednesday]," Misson said.

 

"It's a little bit about how they pull up [on Thursday], but they're both a chance to play."

 

Alex Neal-Bullen remains three weeks away after injuring his knee during the pre-season training camp while defender Dean Terlich and midfielder Aidan Riley underwent a mini pre-season in recent weeks after interrupted pre-seasons.

 

Riley will return via this week's VFL practice match while Terlich is expected to resume the following week. 

Angus Brayshaw, Jack Fitzpatrick, Jay Kennedy-Harris, Dean Kent and Viv Michie have also been granted permission to play in the VFL practice match this weekend.