Robertson is set to have a run for Casey Scorpions against Coburg Tigers at Casey Fields this Sunday in the final week of the VFL practice matches. Matthew Whelan and Paul Wheatley, who have calf injuries, are also chances to return in the same match, according to Melbourne coach Dean Bailey.
"Robbo will probably play this week for Casey – if not this week, then definitely next week … Whelan and Wheatley will either play this week or next week as well. They're coming along, which adds a bit of experience for us," Bailey said from the Junction Oval on Tuesday.
"Russell is very excited about playing. He was bouncing around there this morning, so I hope he can sleep during the week because he does get very excited about playing.”
Bailey said Robertson’s work ethic in rehabilitation could not be faulted.
"He's been a long time out of it, but the game means a lot to him – he has worked his arse off over the pre-season.
"An achilles injury is not great, but his work in the gym and his skinnies (skinfolds) have been strong and his work ethic has been fantastic and he hasn't questioned anything. He's got on with the job."
Bailey said Robertson, along with Whelan and Wheatley, would need at least a couple of games at Casey before resuming for Melbourne, but does not believe the high-flyers jumping ability would be limited on return.
"The reason to play him at Casey is to get that confidence back. It's also important when you play games at Casey that you don't want to be thinking about an injury, whether it's an achilles for 'Robbo' or a shoulder for someone else.
"His running action still looks pretty good and he's a very powerful athlete anyway. He's done a lot of leg weights in the gym and worked on his achilles."
Bailey also said exciting forward Austin Wonaeamirri's hamstring set-back sustained late last week was disappointing.
" He looked like he was going to be a 25 per cent better player for us this year with his pre-season and what he had done," he said.
"For him to have a really minor hamstring and then to nick it again … he's probably going to be another two to three weeks.
“[It’s] disappointing, because he brought some excitement last year. The question will be: If he played [in round one], maybe he might have been able to create a goal or two for us in the forward line."
