NAKIA Cockatoo’s training partner Jake Kolodjashnij says the explosive forward is looking ‘really good’ as he continues to strengthen his body in hope of a football return.

Kolodjashnij and Cockatoo have been rehab partners, completing sessions at a local Geelong park as they attempt to get their bodies right for the remainder of the 2020 AFL season.

Cockatoo last saw AFL action in Round 3 of the 2018 season, and last played competitive football in the VFL at the end of last year.

“It’s good to see that he’s finally getting a good run, I’ve seen it first-hand through this last little period,” Kolodjashnij says.

“Fingers crossed we can get back at the same time and start playing some games together again. It would be great to see.”

Kolodjashnij is getting his first extended taste of rehabilitation, and the experience is giving him a greater appreciation for the trials players like Cockatoo experience.

“I don’t know how some of those do it, especially Cocky. He’s had so much adversity in the last few years, obviously the setbacks that we’ve talked about,” he says.

“It’s been a bit of a challenge, it’s definitely the longest stint I’ve had in rehab ever I guess, I guess you do have a lot of respect for those guys who have gone through the long rehabs and it is quite taxing when you have a few setbacks along the way.”

“It’s built my resilience as a player and I’ll definitely be a lot more grateful once I can get back and train consistently and obviously play games again, I won’t be taking that for granted any time soon.”

Kolodjashnij believes the extended break will benefit the Cats as the club’s injury list shortens.

“At my end the rehab boys have definitely benefitted from this period I guess to really get their bodies right and get back in good shape to join in with the boys,” he says.

“I think as a whole it’s a really tough time and testing our resilience as a group but I think it’s really going to be beneficial going back and I know the guys are putting in a lot of hard work.”

He hopes Cockatoo will be one of those players returning to the field at some point this year once play resumes.

“He’s a star player once he’s up and running. He’s a real powerful athlete and definitely has a lot of raw ability.

“You sort of forget about him sometimes with our forward group and how good they’ve gone, you can add him into that mix as well. It could look like a real dangerous unit with the addition of Nakia in there for sure.”