Alex Johnson took a major step forward this morning when he took part in his first full training session since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament almost 12 months ago.

The premiership defender, who suffered the season-ending injury in last year’s NAB Cup, couldn’t wipe the grin off his face as he took on key forward Lance Franklin in match simulation drills and took part in full length kicking drills.

Speaking to SwansTV following his first complete session in nearly a year, Johnson said it was a fantastic feeling to finally be back on the track.

“It was a really good experience to get out there for my first full session,” he said.

“I’ve been training a little bit with the boys over the last few weeks, but to come in and see my name with full training next to it, I was pretty rapt to see it almost a year after (the injury).

“I had a smile on my face for all of the session really because I’m feeling really good at the moment.

“To finally be fully fit is a pretty good feeling really and I had a bit of time on Buddy, which was good because he’s a superstar of the competition.

“To be able to play on him in training is really good for me and hopefully I can build from there.”

Johnson had a disappointing run with injury in 2013, with the young defender undergoing a traditional reconstruction on his left knee in March last year.

Four months later, it was determined that Johnson would require a second reconstruction after a scan revealed damage to the repaired ligament, which saw the 21-year-old undergo a hybrid-LARS procedure on his injured knee.

Johnson said he had full confidence in his knee following the hybrid-LARS surgery, and said he felt he was getting stronger in every session.

“The knee is feeling really good,” he said.

“Obviously it would have been good if the traditional had of held on last year, but I had a few complications so I got the second one done.

“I’m now about six months from that second surgery so it’s feeling really good now.

“Now it’s about getting the rest of the body right and hopefully I can build up the sessions from here.”

Understandably, after a year on the sidelines, Johnson admitted to feeling a little bit ‘out of it’ in his first full session back on the field but the defender said he was confident he would rediscover his touch quickly in the lead up to the 2014 AFL season.

“It’s pretty exciting and I’m just looking forward to progressing over the next few weeks,” he said.

“I’ve had a bit of time to build into it and I’ve been doing drills here and there over the last month, but a year is a fairly long time so it did feel a bit weird.

“I did a few game scenario drills out there today and I did feel a little bit lost out there, but I’m sure it will all come back over the next few weeks.”

While he is aware he won’t be ready for this month’s NAB Challenge, Johnson said he was targeting a return in the Swans’ practice match against the Brisbane Lions in Burpengary on March 8.

“We’ve got our first NAB Challenge next week, so I won’t play any part in that or the second one but maybe the third game or when the reserves practice matches start,” he said.

“We’ll see where I’m at by the third match (vs Brisbane).

“I’ve just got to see how I’m pulling up after each session and make sure that the knee is responding pretty well from sessions and that type of thing.”

But regardless of when his return may be, Johnson said he simply can’t wait.

“I had a smile on my face at training, so I just can’t imagine the feeling it’s going to be when I’m finally out there playing with the other boys,” he said.

“It’s going to be really good.

“Since NAB three last year, it’s been a year so I just can’t wait to get out there really.”