He missed the final matches of last year's campaign and also the Asian Champions League games in the Doha hub.

His experience, skill and guile was sorely missed as Victory plunged to their lowest ever league position, 10th.

But he believes there were plenty of positive signs to be seen by the ACL efforts of his young team-mates in his absence.

''It's coming along nicely, I am pitch running and doing a lot of exercise. I am aiming for early January to be with the team and then see how long it takes me to get back,'' he said.

''I have been through a lot of injuries in my career but the club has given me a lot of resources to help my comeback,'' added Kruse, who stayed in his native Queensland while he was doing his rehabilitation.