LUCKLESS Geelong forward Daniel Menzel is on track in his recovery from a fourth knee reconstruction but is still up to six months away from reaching peak fitness.

 

Menzel has been a strong performer in the Cats' start to pre-season training, powering home to place fourth in a recent 2km time trial.

 

The 23-year-old has also started to join in certain football specific drills at training and he is hopeful of returning to the field in 2015.

 

"I'm going alright at the moment but I'm still a good six months away from being fully fit and where I want to be," Menzel told SEN on Monday.

Menzel has had six lots of surgery since tearing his anterior cruciate ligament for the first time in the 2011 qualifying final against Hawthorn.

The Cat forward is also one of a number of players to undergo the LARS method of surgery, as well as a traditional complete reconstruction of the knee.

Menzel has no doubts which form of surgery is his preferred option.

"I think the traditional method of surgery (is best)," Menzel said.

"From my experience I don't think the club will go with LARS again, I wasn’t so lucky with it.

"Every single rehab has been different and I'm now able to help other people like Nathan Vardy who’s going through his first ACL rehab."

 

Menzel gave an insight into the anguish players feel when they realise they have damaged their ACL, revealing he broke his hand after punching a wall.

 

"It's the worst feeling because it's not a four or six-week injury, it's a 40-plus week injury," Menzel said.

"Mentally you go through some really bad times, but also you can get yourself up at times.

"The last time I did my ACL, first of all I thought 'I wasn't getting stretchered off this time' and then (I) hit the door on the way in (and broke my hand)."