GEELONG midfielder Daniel Menzel is three weeks away from making a return to football as his rehabilitation from the latest knee reconstruction gathers pace.

The 23-year-old told KRock on Sunday he was finally beginning to feel ready to return after completing a solid training block recently.

"I ran 13km yesterday and it was a massive session. I did a really big footy session with the boys mid-week," Menzel said.

"I did a lot of contested stuff, tackling and marking and got taken to the ground.

"It’s probably the first week in maybe two years I've actually felt like I could play if I needed to play this week."

Menzel has endured four knee reconstructions since his most recent senior game for the Cats in the 2011 qualifying final.

However a hamstring injury was the reason for his most recent absence.

Menzel said he was trying to keep a lid on things at training but had been heartened by his ability to string together some tough sessions. 

"That's what I really wanted because, in all honesty, six or seven weeks ago I was maybe eight weeks away but in the back of my head I was thinking 'I'm no chance to play'.

"So mentally, I feel like my body is really starting to hold up, and I feel like I'm nearly ready."

The talented Menzel has played 21 games and kicked 34 goals and looked a genuine star of the future before he was injured.

His tall teammate Nathan Vardy is also hopeful of returning in the next five weeks after receiving a positive report at his most recent meeting with his surgeon.

Vardy told a Read The Play fundraising dinner last week an inability to strengthen the muscles around his knee had caused problems and he has had four operations since he injured it at training on the eve of the 2014 season.

"It's feeling good. I saw the surgeon on Monday and he said it's the best he's seen my knee and it's finally looking like a knee should," Vardy said.

The 24-year-old had surgery on his knee three weeks ago and his future at that time appeared uncertain.