Docherty underwent surgery to repair a hip problem not long after being drafted by the Club with its second selection (Pick No.12 overall) at the 2011 AFL National Draft.
But the skilful defender is now nearing the completion of a strict rehabilitation program, and is looking forward to resuming training with the bulk of his team-mates.
“I’ll hopefully start running next week and probably join full training next month,” Docherty said.
“That means I should be ready for when the season starts. It’s almost perfect timing.”
Although he is making good progress with his recovery, it is probably still too early to determine whether he’ll be ready to play in the pre-season competition.
“I think that might be a bit ambitious,” Docherty said.
“But we’ll see what happens. I’m not 100% sure yet.”
Docherty said that the rehabilitation process has certainly opened his eyes to the meticulous preparation required to play at the elite level.
“In the rehab group you have to do a lot of different stuff. It’s mainly based around getting what you need done - that means not doing any more or any less,” he said.
“Sometimes if you do too much, you will make the injury worse. And if you don’t do enough, then you won’t be right when you eventually come back.”
“So there’s a lot of self-discipline required to make sure you’re doing everything right.”
“At the Induction Camp, Stakes spoke about doing everything right and not cheating with your rehab. Because when you eventually come back, you need to be able to run onto the ground and feel confident in yourself that you’re at your best.”
“That’s the main thing I’m focussing on now.”
Fortunately for the Lions, Docherty is one of only three players in the pre-season recovery group - along with Josh Drummond (hip) and Brent Staker (knee).
“When I first came to the Club there were about six or seven of us in the rehab group,” Docherty said.
“Now there are only three of us left. It’s good because it means that everyone else is out on the track.”
Docherty will wear the famous Number 1 Lions guernsey in 2012, which has previously been worn by two of the Club’s longest-serving Captains and greatest ever players - Kevin Murray and Paul Roos.
Coincidentally, he inherited the Number 1 guernsey directly from Mitch Clark, who was traded to Melbourne during the off-season in return for the same draft selection that ultimately saw the booming right-footer land at the Lions.
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