Essendon midfielder Heath Hocking is confident he is on track to be fit for the club’s season opener against Sydney on April 4 following groin surgery.

Hocking has had surgery to both groins to alleviate soreness he was suffering during pre-season training.

The veteran midfielder will return to running in the next four weeks before looking to ramp up his training in preparation for the 2015 season.

“With it still being eleven weeks to round one ideally it would still be nice to be ready for that match against the Swans,” Hocking said.

“After I start running in four weeks time it will be nice to know and to get a feel for where I am at.”

“I am a realist and I will not be returning to early, I will be happy to wait a few more weeks but that is a long way down the track.”

Hocking said he was in a good state of mind and looking forward to attacking his rehabilitation program.

“Mentally I have done everything I have been able to do so now it is just about how my body reacts and doing the best recovery that I can do,” he said.

“I feel confident that I should be right.”

Entering his tenth pre-season the tagger is confident his body is ready for the rigours of another AFL season.

“I think an accumulative affect of pre-seasons can take its toll so knowing how we want to play I think I can catch up to that pretty quickly,” Hocking said.

“From the fitness point of view I will be able to catch up on that a lot quicker than a first or second year player would.

“I am happy to work a bit harder to get fitter quicker as the season draws closer.”