WHILE the competition is at a standstill, Charlie Curnow’s road to recovery is beginning to pick up some steam.

The 23-year-old is back at his family home in Torquay, ramping up his rehabilitation as much as possible in familiar territory.

It was under a month ago when Curnow underwent successful surgery on his knee, having the wires taken out which were moulding his kneecap.

It was a significant step towards his ultimate recovery, so it’s no surprise that Curnow labelled it “a huge relief”.

“It was a bit of a long process since the first surgery. I had a pin in my knee and in the second injury, they had wires wrapped around my kneecap,” Curnow told Carlton Media.

“They took both of those bits out from both surgeries.

“I’m pretty happy with it. It means I can do a bit more at home, help Mum and Dad out and it’s just a relief. Walking around is a lot easier.”

Curnow is continuing to tick the boxes in preparation for a return to football, which - just like the season itself - still remains up in the air.

He detailed the work he is undertaking with physio Dan James as well as working around the current precautions, having set up a home gym.

However, the key forward maintained that he was confident of returning to the field and pulling on the Navy Blue jumper in 2020.

“I’ve been working really hard. It’s feeling better, but I’m just going to have to go off how my knee is feeling and when it’s feeling 100 per cent,” he said.

“That’s when I’ll get the all clear. I’m not too sure when that’s going to be.

“Different people will say different timeframes, but all I can really say is it’s tracking well. I’ve just got to listen to it, make the right decisions and go from there.

“I’m hoping to play footy this year and I’m definitely not ruling anything out, I’m pretty confident I will.”

Over the last six months, it’s been the most talked-about knee in the country, with Curnow admitting “it has been tough”.

Surrounded by his family at home as well as those at the football club, Curnow said he was keen to repay their faith in him when this is over.

“I’m obviously taking the injury very seriously but you try not to listen too much about what people say… try not to read as much as you can,” he said.

“I’ve got good people around me. I’ve got family and I’m where I grew up in Torquay: I’m very lucky.”

Whenever it’s going to be, the excitement is clear in Curnow’s face when it comes to a potential return to football — or even training.

Having not played a game since Round 13 last year (he was injured in the opening minutes of Round 15), he’s intent on getting back to doing what he loves when the time is right.

“I’m really looking forward to getting back out there and even just training: training would be nice,” he said.

“Getting back out on the park with the boys is what you miss the most — especially now, being away from the Club.

“To see all the fans back out there once this tough time and uncertainty is over… hopefully we can all come together and enjoy football. We can all do it together.”

In the meantime, Curnow will be combining his rehabilitation with family life — a luxury he hasn’t had since being drafted to Carlton in 2015.

He’s surrounded by his mum and dad, three siblings, a niece and a nephew… but not Ed.

It seems like that was by design.

“We all made a group decision to not let him into the house. He’s been kicked out,” he said.

“Mum and Dad are loving having us back… it’s something I haven’t done for a few years now, which has been nice.

“But I’m missing my time away from [the boys] as well, so hopefully it’s a quick turnaround.”