ST KILDA recruit Jack Steele plans to start running again over the next fortnight as he recovers from a foot injury.
Steele, who played 17 games in two seasons with Greater Western Sydney before being granted his wish for a trade to St Kilda, suffered a fractured metatarsal in his left foot that required surgery and ruled him out of the 2016 NEAFL finals series.
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The inside midfielder, who will turn 21 in December, is taking his rehabilitation one sure step at a time and expects to join his new teammates in full training in the new year.
"It (the foot) is going well. I've just started walking without the moon boot but it's feeling good and hopefully I'm running in a couple of weeks," Steele told St Kilda's website.
"I'm going to do a bit of rehab before Christmas and maybe run over the Christmas break. Then when I get back after the break in January is when I’m into full training."
Steele was the first player to be drafted from the Giants' academy in his native Canberra, when he was picked up at No. 24 in the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.
He played seven games in 2015 – in his third AFL game, against the Saints, he gathered 20 possessions, including 16 contested – and a further 10 this year, averaging 15.5 touches, four tackles and almost a goal a game, but didn't reappear at the highest level after round 17 as the Giants marched to a preliminary final.
The Saints snared him in exchange for a 2017 second-round pick, and Steele said he was excited by the challenge of establishing himself in a developing team.
"I think there was a lot more opportunity here than there was at the Giants," he said.
"The Giants were stacked with talent and it was hard to get a consistent game. So I think St Kilda was the best suit for me and I'm glad I'm finally here."