It’s been a difficult few months on the sidelines for Melissa Kuys.

But the midfielder remains positive she’ll to take to the field this season.  

The 31-year-old tore her left achilles playing for Hawthorn in the VFL Women’s preliminary final - against Collingwood - late last year.

“I went to smother the ball against Britt Bonnici and my left ankle connected with her right foot,” Kuys told collingwoodfc.com.au.

She admits she didn’t realise just how serious her injury was at the time.

“I thought I might not get back on the ground but I didn’t think it was season ending.”

Kuys says it’s been hard to train away from the group during her recovery but she’s proud of the progress she’s made so far.

“My program has involved a lot of boxing and bike work and I’m slowly increasing my work load each session.”

While she notes it has been a challenging journey, the turning point for Kuys was when she was able to return to the oval and start running again.

 “It was such a weird feeling,” Kuys said with a laugh.  

“After a couple of months of not running, I really had to teach my mind to put one foot in front of the other again which was quite strange for something that is so natural.”

As she continues to recover and improve, Kuys remains vocal from the sidelines, particularly growing closer to the younger players.

“I’ve found myself really getting around and supporting the youngsters. And those players new to the club.”

 “I’m trying to make them feel comfortable by using my own experience to give them feedback to improve.”

She’s also excited to see what the newbies will bring to the team throughout the rest of the season.

“Jordy Allen is definitely someone to look out for and Lauren Butler is building her confidence on field so she’ll be an exciting player to watch.”