THREE weeks after injuring his elbow against Essendon, Michael Rischitelli has made it known to the club’s high performance team he isn’t prepared to limit his 2013 premiership campaign to just nine matches this season. 

If he isn’t in the gym working on his strength, the Deputy Vice-Captain can be found slaving away on the bicycle and treadmill – ramping up his fitness base in an effort to return sooner rather than later. 

“He’s going really well, he is doing all the running now so we just have to wait for his elbow to heel naturally,” Head Fitness Coach Paul Haines told goldcoastfc.com.au on Monday.

“At the moment he is doing all the running and skill work, we just have to wait and bide a little bit of time before he is able to come back do some contact work.

“(But) he is ticking off all the boxes in his rehab program at the moment.”

Haines believes the midfielder’s professionalism and added-experience will allow the club to gradually increase his workload in hope of a speedier return to senior football. 

“Michael’s workload will naturally increase over time,” he said.

“It will become a little bit more intense over the next couple of weeks but at the time being we are very happy with the way he is going in his rehab.

“He is very professional in the way he goes about it all.”