CO-CAPTAIN Jack Viney remains optimistic he will play some form of football before Melbourne’s season opener against the Geelong Cats at the MCG on Sunday, March 25.

Viney, who has missed four of the final eight rounds last year, due to a foot injury, has been monitored carefully throughout the pre-season, as he builds up to the 2018 season.

But the 23-year-old, with 88 games to his name, said he felt he could play in one of Melbourne’s JLT Community Series matches.

“Personally, I’d love to get a game in. I feel like it would be good preparation to get a JLT game in, or a couple of JLT games in – just to find my feet a little bit. I won’t be ready for AFLX, but if I could fit in the last JLT game, that’d be amazing,” he said.

“I know sometimes when I’ve been a little bit underdone before the season, I’ve played the VFL game, the week before the season, which is when we have a break and there is no AFL football. If the schedule aligns, that could help.

“If I haven’t played any [official AFL] games before round one, I’m not too sure where I’ll be at exactly … but I’d love to get some [games] in before round one.”

Viney said it had been frustrating at times this pre-season, but overall, he was pleased with his rehabilitation.

“I feel like I haven’t watched a training session all pre-season, but at the same time, I’m really content in the position I’m in and how I’ve approached it,” he said.

“It’s probably one of my learnings from last season – that I went into the season a little bit sore and there is just no time to get any better during the season.

“Having learned that, I’ve been happy with how I’ve gone about this recovery process, because I’ve got my eye on the prize and that’s playing well during the season. I know that I need to get my body feeling good for then.”

Viney said he was building his program each day.

“I’m running every few days now. I’m getting into some good speed and was introduced into some agility the other day,” he said.

“Now I’m getting some conditioning into me, which is good.

“It’s late January and I’m feeling really good and in a good position – my foot is finally starting to pull up well after sessions.”