The word stemming from Skilled Stadium this week was "hopeful" when Cats football manager Neil Balme spoke of the 25-year-old's battle to overcome a serious foot injury.
Egan hasn't played football at any level since round 22, 2007 when, with his side on the eve of what would be a drought-breaking premiership, he broke the navicular bone in his right foot against the Brisbane Lions.
Setbacks forced the solidly-built backman to firstly be ruled out from the 2007 Grand Final, and then miss the entire 2008 season.
He struggled to do any major training this year, raising questions over both his immediate and long-term future.
When asked about Egan's progress and his potential impact next season, Balme was non-committal but said the Cats were optimistic he could return to be the player he was before his injury.
"Well, he's three or four months further along than he was [mid-year] … we're happy with where he is but he's still got a fair way to go and we're hoping that he'll be fine," Balme told afl.com.au.
When asked whether he believed Egan, named centre-half back in the 2007 All-Australian team, would take much part in the Cats' pre-season, Balme replied: "Oh look, it's still too early to say.
"We're very hopeful but he's still got a fair way to go."
And as for Egan being close to resuming running or a return to training?
"Well, he's closer than he was three months ago … he is progressing through and we're hopeful that he'll be okay."
The Cats should have close to their full list when they start pre-season training later in the year, but Balme said forward Tom Hawkins was again in a moonboot as a result of the foot injury he suffered late in the season.
Geelong expects the burly youngster to overcome his ailment "sooner rather than later", with the boot being more a precautionary measure.
