North Melbourne's first selection in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft will play half a practice game for North Ballarat's reserves side on Saturday, 18 weeks after a shoulder reconstruction derailed his summer.
Tarrant injured his right shoulder at a training session in early November and was sent straight in for surgery, understandably with question marks over his short-term future.
In March last year, four months after joining North, the key forward had a reconstruction on his left shoulder and was sidelined for most of the season.
Important lessons were learned from his three-month rehabilitation and this time Tarrant has made the most of an extra six weeks' recovery.
"I didn't rush it as much," he said. "I took my time and was probably a bit more persistent in the rehab.
"I've been doing full training for about a month. I could have played a month ago, but there wasn't really any use in me playing.
"There were a lot of times last year I was doing stuff where I didn't really need to do it. I've cut that out and really focused on my shoulders and that's pretty much it.
"I've dropped a few kilos and I’m moving a little better than I was when I came back last year."
Next weekend Tarrant should play for Werribee, the Roos' second affiliate, in its practice match against North Ballarat.
Greater opportunities have seen the 19-year-old aligned to Werribee in 2009 and he hopes to benefit from the presence of former North Melbourne forward Nathan Thompson.
"He was at the club a few years before I even got here," Tarrant said. "He knows a lot about what the club's about so he'll be able to help me a fair bit.
"The move was the club's decision really but I'm pretty happy.
"I think Werribee's game plan's a little bit different to North Ballarat's as well, which helps me out. They hit up [the leading forwards] a fair bit more."
The similar plight of teammates has helped Tarrant maintain the positive attitude that coach Dean Laidley highlighted at a press conference early last month.
Tarrant said he has grown closer to Adam Simpson, Daniel Pratt and Ed Lower, who all endured major shoulder operations at the end of last season.
However, Tarrant understands that his teammates can't prepare him for the contact situations he can now expect in a competitive hit-out.
"Our backmen look after me a fair bit," he said. "I think everyone's still a bit cautious of whether to hit me or not to hit me.
"You can train all you want but I think the game comes and there's got to be a time where I've got to stretch my arm out wide.
"I'm just looking forward to getting through this week unscathed and hopefully getting a couple of touches, but I'm not putting too much pressure on myself."
Dream Team watch – North Melbourne’s Robbie Tarrant is rated an $86,600 forward in Toyota AFL Dream Team 2009.
