THE LONG journey back to football for Harley Bennell is nearly over and the injury-plagued star is desperate to resume his stalled career, Fremantle teammate Michael Walters says.
Bennell is on the cusp of playing his first match since March last year after a string of setbacks with his troublesome calves.
The former Gold Coast star is listed as 1-2 weeks away, and Peel's clash with West Coast-affiliate East Perth on July 15 looms as his possible comeback game.
"It is exciting for us being his teammates, but I'm assuming it will be more exciting for him," Walters said.
"He's been out for quite a while now and he's doing nothing but put his head down, bum up and worked his butt off to get himself in a position where he can get back and play.
"He's looking lean, strong and his skill work with the ball is first-class.
"We need him to keep on training hard and I'm not sure how long until he gets back and starts playing, but we need to make sure he sticks at it and that he's mentally strong.
"Being out for so long you want to play any sort of footy – whether it's match-sim in training – so there's no doubt he wants to get out there and play footy.
"It will be pretty exciting to go down and watch him and it will be nervous as well."
Bennell has only made one pre-season appearance for the Dockers since he was traded from the Suns, where he booted 92 goals in 81 games, at the end of 2015.
The 24-year-old has been earmarked for an explosive forward role with midfield bursts – a la Hawthorn star Cyril Rioli – when he finally makes his return to football.
Meanwhile, the Dockers hope to regain gun onballer Stephen Hill from a minor calf injury against North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium this Sunday.
Hill, tough nut Ed Langdon (knee) and Josh Deluca (ankle) are listed as tests for this weekend.
Emerging youngster Connor Blakely will be available for selection after the leadership group, which includes Walters, suspended the 21-year-old for the St Kilda loss last Sunday for not meeting team standards.
Blakely left the club early last Wednesday due to illness and later travelled nearly three hours south to Yallingup, where he went for a surf the next day.
"It was a decision from the leadership group. We need to be more ruthless and uncompromising at times," Walters said.
"Albeit Connor has been playing some good footy, but we had to make an example of it and set a standard that if you do do things wrong you're going to be punished for it."
The Dockers will be forced into at least two changes against the Roos with giant ruckman Aaron Sandilands (hamstring) ruled out for the season and Cam McCarthy accepting a two-game suspension for his tackle that concussed Saint Sam Gilbert.
