Video: Star Adelaide Crow Brodie Smith steps up rehab from knee reconstruction in the United States

COULD All-Australian Brodie Smith be back on the field for the Adelaide Crows this season?

Brodie Smith has his sights set on returning to the Crows this season. Picture: Calum Robertson

• Injured Smith off free-agency list
• Crows hold back stars from AFLX
• Tex hex? Crows confident Walker’s problems not chronic

COULD Brodie Smith be back on the field for the Adelaide Crows this season?

Hopes cointinue to rise for the All-Australian defender, who ruptured an ACL in last year’s qualifying final, after he posted an encouraging video on his Instagram page training in Philadelphia with world-renowned rehabilitation specialist Bill Knowles.

In the video, recorded at the home of the Philadelphia Union soccer team, Smith can be seen moving laterally and jumping for marks as a machine fires balls at him. He has captioned it, “Ball machine fun. Getting the wheels going again #comingback #eaglesbandwagon.”

Smith, 26, told the club’s website ahead of the trip he was hopeful that training with Knowles — who has also worked with Crows captain Taylor Walker, as well as Nic Naitanui, Daniel Menzel, Jon Patton and Christian Petracca — would help his bid to return to the field ahead of the surgeon’s schedule this year.

“It’s just to get a different perspective and different drills and ideas to fast-track where I am and try and get back as quickly as possible,” Smith said.

“The surgeons look at it as a 12-month injury, so I’m trying to fast-track that as much as I can ... It’s nice to prove people wrong even when it’s a highly renowned surgeon.

“I’ve always been one that if you set me a time I’m out there to beat it.

“Everything is on track, so fingers crossed you’ll see me out there at the end of the year.”

Brodie Smith after rupturing his ACL during the qualifying final against Greater Western Sydney last year. Picture: Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images

Brodie Smith trains with the Crows at Thebarton Oval. Picture: Calum Robertson

Smith, who last month signed a new three-year deal with the Crows, is spending a fortnight in the US, scheduling plenty of downtime as a mental distraction after four and half months of rehab.

Last week he attended last week’s Super Bowl in Minnesota where he cheered the Eagles to victory over the New England Patriots and he has plans to catch Aussie NBA star Ben Simmons in action for the Philadelphia 76ers.