“It’s been challenging and it’s average watching football,” Stewart said.

“In retrospect, it was a pretty average time for it to happen because I was in the interleague mix but I just see it as a learning curve and I’ll come back fitter and stronger.

“I’ve been helping out the under-18s and working with the younger boys in the senior group. I’ve just been doing as much as I can off the field until I can get back on there.”

Stewart was pencilled in to play interleague for the GFL against Goulburn Valley on May 23 and had already captured the attention of Vic Country 1 coach Peter Knights, who was hoping to select the 22-year-old in the state squad for the second straight year.

But he was injured against Bell Park on May 16 and remains on the sidelines.

“I’m starting to get back on track. I started back running on Tuesday and it’s all positive,” Stewart said.

“I had tendinitis in the peroneal tendon and that inflammation caused a stress fracture in my leg.

“It was enough to show up on an x-ray but not an MRI. I didn’t see the full extent of the damage but it was enough to put me out for seven or eight weeks.

“It’s pretty rough. When I’m running it feels like there’s a ball in my leg and it was unbearable when I was running at some points.

“But it’s all coming good now. I rested it and I’ve been to the gym for the last six weeks and it’s all coming along well.”

Stewart spent a month in the pool and on the bike before easing back into light duties at training.

He said the bone had fully healed and the pain in his ankle and knee joints — stemming from weeks in a moon boot — was slowly diminishing.

“I do about 50 per cent of training this week and ramp it up to a full week after the bye and if all goes well I’ll be back against Grovedale,” Stewart said.