RUCKMAN Mark Jamar is confident he can still make an impact when he returns from a frustrating run with niggling injuries.

Jamar, who has been sidelined throughout Melbourne’s pre-season matches and is aiming for a return via the VFL next week, said he still had plenty to offer at the highest level.  

“My one wood is my ruck work and I pride myself on that, and pride myself on giving first use to the boys, so that’s what I’ll be aiming to do [when I return],” he told Dee TV.

“We don’t have many tall targets fit and on the park at the moment, and Fitzy (Jack Fitzpatrick) got injured last week unfortunately, so hopefully he’s right [for this week]. Max [Gawn] was a bit tight [in the hamstring], so he unfortunately wasn’t available this week.

“Hopefully, when I come back, I’m able to help out in the ruck and help Jake out there and guys like Clarky (Mitch Clark), Dawesy (Chris Dawes), Fitzy and Gawny down forward. Wherever I’m needed, I’ll try my best and do my role for the team.”

Jamar, who injured his hamstring twice pre-Christmas and then suffered a calf injury in January, said he was back in full training now after some hiccups in the pre-season.

“[I had] little nicks in the hammy – not enough to have six weeks off or anything, but little ones that set you back and you’ve got to start the whole rehab process again,” he said.

“They’re three or four weeks at a time, so unfortunately I’ve had those setbacks and through January, I was coming along quite nicely and unfortunately I just nicked the calf – the old man’s injury. That set me back another three or four weeks.

“Now I’ve progressed and built up and I’m back in full training, so hopefully I can play for Casey next week in [their first home and away match for the season].”

Jamar conceded it had been a trying period, but he was philosophical about his setback.

“[It’s been] extremely frustrating, but at the end of the day, it’s no one’s fault,” he said.

“Things that may have been overlooked, as far as glute strength or the back [being] a bit out of whack – we’ve been trying to turn over every stone to improve my general fitness and stability and core strength.

“It has been frustrating, but I’ve got a good team around me and all of the coaches have been fantastic and everyone has been 100 per cent supportive. Dave Misson and his team have been really, really good [and the] physios have done the extra work to help get me back. I couldn’t ask for more from that point of view.”

But the 2010 All-Australian said he was optimistic about pushing his name up for AFL selection in the near future.  

“I’m aiming for a couple of weeks at Casey and then hopefully do enough to put my name up for selection,” he said.

“There is a fitness aspect as well, so whether or not I’m match fit or conditioned for AFL – that’ll just be suck it and see.

“If I’m coping well with game time, then there might be an opportunity to come back earlier, but we’ll just have to wait and see how that one plays out.”