Despite spending a  few weeks on the sidelines this pre-season, star ruckman Todd Goldstein doesn’t believe his fitness will be overly impacted in the lead up to the home and away season.

The 28-year-old told NMFC.com.au that he was placed on a restricted program after experiencing some lingering ankle soreness.

“I had a slight ankle injury in the last part of last season but it wasn’t too serious and we thought giving it a rest over the off-season would clear it up,” he said.

“I was feeling pretty good from the start of pre-season but it just flared up a little bit after the first month and the physios then decided to pull me back a little bit and put me on an old man’s program.”

Goldstein believes the move has paid dividends.

“It’s been different … I think it’s been good for my body, it’s given me a freshen up. I’m feeling good and ready to go now.

“The body seems to have responded well to that and the ankle is really good. I’ve gotten through every session for the past few weeks now.”

While Goldstein will still have the ability to motor around the ground and play an entire game one-out in the ruck, there could be another option available to Brad Scott and the coaches with Brayden Preuss impressing last week against Sydney.

“For his first game, he came up against a pretty experienced player in [Kurt] Tippett and he did really well … his ruck work was really good and he gave our midfielders first use and there were some pretty clinical clearances in there,” Goldstein said.

“We’re both willing to play whatever role the coach wants us to play and whatever is going to help the side.

“The ultimate goal is winning a premiership and if that’s us playing together, then that’s what we’re happy to do. This Sunday we might get an opportunity to do that and work out how it works and you never know.”