COLLINGWOOD forward Anthony Rocca is making a steady return from a foot fracture and is about to ink a new deal for a 13th season.

The 31-year-old is expected to head to the USA to join older brother Saverio and the Australian punting army in the NFL when his career closes, but says he's in no hurry to finish playing AFL.

"I am in the process of nutting out a one-year contract and whether I am still good enough to keep going after that, we will see how my year goes," Rocca told Thursday's Herald Sun.

"If I feel the body can go again and the club wants me to go again, I will play. I want to get everything possible out of my body in the AFL scene.

"Once I have done that, well that's when I will move on.

"In a sense I am playing like this is my last year, because I don't know where next year will take me.

"I don't want that to be a headline, it's just that it's the way I see every year now."

After playing seven of the first 12 games of 2008, a recurrence of his foot fracture ended Rocca's season at round 13 – stalling his career tally at 238.

And while he's easing into his preparations for 2009, progress had been solid.

"With my foot at the moment I am absolutely flying," he said.

"I haven't had any pain for four to six weeks and that's good.

"I have had this injury in the past, so it is a real art to getting it right.

"I haven't joined in main group (training) but it won't be too far off. I am doing a little bit of running on specific days and before Christmas I am going to be on a pretty modified program and after that I should be full steam ahead."

Collingwood commenced pre-season training this week and will travel to Arizona on Monday for a two-week high-altitude camp.