MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 15: Nic Naitanui of the Eagles looks on during the 2018 AFL round 17 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the West Coast Eagles at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on July 15, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

West Coast star Nic Naitanui is ahead of schedule as he recovers from a second knee reconstruction, as reported by SEN. 

The Eagles ruckman ruptured the ACL in his right knee during the round 17 match against Collingwood last season, causing him to miss the remainder of the season including the club's premiership trumph.

It was a hard blow for the 28 year-old who missed more than 18 months after suffering the exact same injury in his opposite knee in Round 22, 2016.

GM of Football Craig Vozzo says its been a relatively smooth rehabilitation process to date.

"Nic is tracking really well," Vozzo told SEN. 

"It's probably ahead of where he would've been at the same time when the other knee was reconstructed."

"We've had less setbacks in this rehab phase compared to last time."

"He's in a happy space doing a bit more on ground, he just started that this week, which was really encouraging for him and for us."

"So, all being well, we'll see more and more of him integrating into training in the new year."

Naitanui has payed 161 games for the Eagles since being taken at pick two in the 2008 AFL Draft.