St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt could be back in action for the latter stages of the AFL pre-season after a better than expected recovery from surgery.

Riewoldt underwent arthroscopic surgery on a problematic left knee late last month, with a view to missing the whole of the pre-season competition.

But Riewoldt said on Friday he was on track for an early return.

"I ran yesterday for the first time post-surgery, which is ahead of schedule," he said.

"So I'm tracking pretty well and I'll hopefully get one or two games in before the full season starts."

Riewoldt, on the Gold Coast with his team ahead of Saturday night's NAB Cup clash against the Brisbane Lions, believes he's ready to play now, but is taking the advice of doctors who are acting cautiously.

"If it was a grand final, I'd probably play this week," he said.

"And if it was mid-season I would have nursed it through the year.

"It is (frustrating), but as you mature and get a little bit more experienced, you realise it's not about the first five games of the year, it's about the last five, so as long as I'm around for them I'll be happy."

Riewoldt carried knee soreness throughout the 2008 season, opting for surgery rather than nurse it through another year.

The problem stemmed from a cyst that had formed inside his knee.

"We had to make a decision to either get it done then or there or try and manage it through the year, but we still had two months before the season started at the time we did the surgery and that was the best option," he said.

"I was a little worried about what they'd find, but my cartilage surfaces are pristine, so it's nothing really that I have to worry about long-term."

Riewoldt spoke after giving teammate Lenny Hayes a tour of his old high school on the Gold Coast, where the new football field was named in his honour.

The All Saints Anglican School has an impressive roll call of professional sports stars.

"(Cricketer) Andrew Symonds brought the Sheffield Shield in one year when Queensland won it and gave a bit of a speech to assembly," Riewoldt said.

"His father, Ken Symonds, was cricket coach, and then Stevie Lawrence as well, from St Kilda, I think he was in Andrew's year as well.

"Then I was in the same year as (Olympic swimmer) Gian Rooney, so we've got a pretty good sporting pedigree at the school."

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