Blease, taken at No.17 in the 2008 NAB AFL Draft, broke his fibula after being tackled by a schoolmate, but is now looking towards starting the VFL season with the Casey Scorpions.
Bailey did not play down the severity of the injury when asked about its effect on the 19-year-old.
"[He] had a really serious injury and had a really serious operation and was sitting in hospital for a while," said the coach.
"He was sitting in the bed almost unable to move.
"To Sammy's credit, for a young man, he's shown real determination to come back from it and he's now running".
Bailey said the dashing midfielder, recruited from Eastern Ranges, had reshaped his body during his recovery.
"He's still getting his volume in with his kicking, but because he's spent a bit of time on his upper body, he is showing a real difference. He's certainly starting to put on a bit of muscle," he said.
"At the moment, it looks like he's just starting to recapture a little bit of that speed that he's naturally got.
"His running patterns or his running style is still to really progress, but everything so far is how the medical team, the doctors and physios expected him to be.
Another Demon who missed all but round one last year, defender Col Garland, is also making solid progress.
"It's a matter of trying to get him up to a high intense training program", Bailey said.
"When that happens, Col's not that far from coming in and doing 50 to 60 per cent flat out training".
Exciting small forward Austin Wonaeamirri, who did not play for the Demons last year after battling hamstring and knee injuries, is also on the comeback trail. The Northern Territorian had a hiccup just before the end of last year.
"Wonaeamirri has rejoined training now after he did a hamstring just before Christmas," Bailey said.
"We just need to get him up to a level where he can really run at high speed for a while [but] … he's progressing pretty well, Aussie".
