Sydney defender Rhyce Shaw says he's 'certain' to be ready to play in Swans' season opener Rhyce Shaw is back taking part in Swans training. SYDNEY Swans veteran Rhyce Shaw is spruiking the benefits of LARS surgery as the running defender eyes a round one return to AFL football. Shaw's knee buckled on the Simonds Stadium turf against Geelong in round 22 last season, ruling him out of the club's finals campaign. After being assessed by medical staff, and given his age, the speedster was given the all-clear to go ahead with LARS surgery in a bid to make a faster return to the field. Shaw, who turned 32 at the end of last season, says he has no regrets about the decision, saying he is a "certainty to play round one" - provided coach John Longmire selects him, of course. "The knee is feeling great," Shaw told SwansTV. I did my knee 10 years ago and I had the traditional surgery and I missed 12 months, but if I did my knee during the season and then had LARS, I could be back by the end of the year. I can't speak highly enough of the docs and the physios for getting me back this quick. You pretty much walk straight out of hospital and there's no real recovery period and you get straight into it ... it's just amazing. Shaw said he had been working hard alongside fellow knee victim Alex Johnson, who also underwent LARS surgery after a failed traditional reconstruction earlier in the year. The moment Rhyce Shaw's knee went pop against the Cats last season. "My best mate Nick (Malceski) has done three knees and has had two LARS ... so he's given us a few pointers," he said. It's been tough for 'AJ'. Obviously he's had the two surgeries six months apart, but he's pushing really hard and he's a tough kid. We've seen what he can do on the park when he's playing, so you can imagine what he's like off the field. He's really hard-nosed and committed to what he wants to do and he's working as hard as anyone to get back onto the track. Sometimes recovery takes a bit longer for other people, but we know AJ will be back and back for round one hopefully. Shaw said the Swans had seen some too many in their rehab group during the off-season, with big names such as Adam Goodes, Mike Pyke, Lewis Roberts-Thomson, Kurt Tippett, Sam Reid and Tommy Walsh all on restricted programs. But we're all getting better at the right time, so it's really positive for the club. Alex Johnson will be a handy return for the Swans in 2014. Picture: Getty Images Source: News Limited