Staker suffered a disappointing setback in the opening round against Fremantle at the Gabba, with a serious knee injury crippling his plans for the 2011 season.
Taking the injury in his stride, he opted for the Ligament Augmentation and Reconstruction System (LARS) operation in the hope of fast-tracking his return to Lions’ side.
Fans who have attended the Lions’ open training sessions have been able to witness Staker’s impressive progress first-hand with the 27 year-old running laps of the ground as the main playing group train.
Lions Assistant Coach Gary O’Donnell predicts Staker could be available to play senior football as soon as Round 14 if the rehabilitation continues to improve smoothly without any complications.
“He’s on track, right on track,” O’Donnell said.
“He’s looking at around Round 14 or 15, but everything has to fall into place for Brent to play then.”
The LARS operation has been embraced by a number of AFL players as a way to minimise the rehabilitation time after serious knee injuries, which have traditionally kept players off the field for 12 months.
While the operation is not suitable for all knee reconstructions, it has become more commonly adopted by AFL players in recent seasons.
“It’s just the modern knee injury. I’ve never seen guys so upbeat,” he said.
“They’re no longer necessarily missing 12 months of footy. It might only be three or four months now.”
“If it is possible, if the operation is able to be done considering what’s happen inside the knee, then I think the [LARS surgery] is the way to go.”
The reduced time on the sidelines has an obvious effect on the mental toll of the injury, as opposed to a player being dealt a 12 month sentence in the stands.
“It is great to see his enthusiasm around the footy club that he might get back this year,” he said.
Staker’s versatility as a key position prospect has been missed throughout the first half of the Lions’ 2011 campaign.
His first season with the Lions was arguably one of his finest and saw him finish seventh in the 2010 Club Champion award.
