Collingwood star Alan Didak is recovering well from off-season surgery and says he is close to returning to the Magpies’ line-up.

Didak, who turned 28 earlier this week, severely injured his pectoral muscle on the eve of last year’s finals series but courageously played through and was a crucial part of the club’s 15th premiership, then underwent surgery shortly after the team’s triumph.

“Obviously I had surgery at the end of the season, and I’ve been in the rehab group for a few months now”, Didak told CTV’s Paul Licuria.

“I’m slowly getting back into it. I’ll probably play in two weeks.”

Didak led Collingwood’s goal kicking in 2010 with 41 goals and was named in the All-Australian team for the second time. His return to full fitness will allow him to experience some valuable match practice ahead of the club’s round one clash with Port Adelaide on March 26.

In looking ahead to season 2011, Didak is confident the club is in a good position to again challenge for a position around the top part of the ladder.

“Mick’s been saying that we’ve lost 1200 games of experience with Oby (Shane O'Bree), Josh (Fraser) and Paul Medhurst and all these other players, but I think where we’re going to gain from last year is the young blokes.

“I think because we’ve won the grand final, we know what to do, and we’ve got to tick off all the boxes and get there in September.”

Collingwood’s community camp continued in Traralgon in Thursday. The Magpies have a weekend off after progressing through the first round of the NAB Cup, and will face a wildcard qualifier in the second round of the pre-season competition on Friday 25 February at Docklands.