Veteran Lenny Hayes plans to play in all of St Kilda's pre-season matches as part of his comeback from a knee reconstruction suffered early last year.
The 2010 Norm Smith Medalist snapped the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Round 2 and was forced to watch St Kilda's rollercoaster season from the sidelines.
But the 31-year-old reports he has benefitted from a pain-free pre-season and is raring to go in 2012 – his 14th season in the AFL.
Hayes, a three time All-Australian, admitted it would be optimistic to expect him to immediately return to his pre-injury form but said that he had never felt as fresh entering preseason training.
"I'm at the stage now where I just want to start playing. I haven't played since Round 2 last year, so I'm pretty keen to get out there," Hayes said.
"It's good just being with the main group again because, if you've got an injury, you're sort of isolated."
"I've been back to full training almost two months now and I'll be right to play in all the intra-clubs and NAB Cup."
The midfielder said St Kilda had been re-invigorated over summer under new coach Scott Watters and his assistants Dean Laidley Aaron Hamill, Max Hudghton, Troy Schwarze and Greg Doyle.
"We've got a new coaching staff and there's a pretty good vibe around," Hayes said.
"It's only been a couple of months but I've been real impressed with how he (Watters) has gone about it."
"He's very well prepared, as you'd expect. He's easy to get along with and you can see he's a very determined person."
"I just like the way he's included everyone. He's really working the young guys hard to get a bit more out of them," he said.
Watters has revealed Nick Riewoldt may not captain the Saints in 2012 and Hayes along with Brendon Goddard will be considered for the position.
"I'm sure a decision will be made in the next three or four weeks," Hayes said.
"Nick (Riewoldt) is a great captain - he has been and we'll just wait and see what happens there."
