After just over a year on the sidelines, outstanding young defender Seb Tape will take a significant step towards resurrecting his AFL career when he runs out for the Gold Coast SUNS NEAFL team on the weekend.

With a gruelling rehabilitation program under his belt, Tape is confident he'll return bigger, faster and stronger from an ACL injury that cut his 2012 campaign short.

According to rehabilitation coach Max Kennedy, it’s been a torturous twelve month stint on the sidelines for the fearless 20-year-old, restricted to just 10 games in 2012 after blowing out his knee in the side’s Round 12 clash against North Melbourne.

But after a long-road back, including thousands of hours in the weight-room and on the physio table, the South Australian is set to once again throw himself in into the thick of action when Shaun Hart's reserves fly south to take on the Giants seconds in Blacktown tomorrow morning.

“He is a caged lion and ready to go,” Kennedy said.

After attacking his rehabilitation with the same professional and class that has seen elevated as such a highly respected member of the playing group, Kennedy is confident the worst of Tape’s injury woes are behind him.

“How he plays is reflective off his character off the ground; he is very diligent, the utmost professional, and his attention to detail is second to none around the footy club,” said Kennedy.

“I have no doubt he has come back better and stronger, he’s been a captive of the rehab team for the past six months, working mostly in isolation and he smashed it.”

While Tape concedes there were times the lengthy-process had taken its toll on the inaugural SUNS player, the courageous defender said he was mentally and physically stronger from his stint behind the boundary lines.

“It’s definitely been a pretty long process, but I was able to learn a lot about myself during this time and also built some strong friendships along the way – so there have been some great positives to still take away from the situation,” Tape said.

Kennedy told goldcoastfc.com.au Tape’s team-first mentality and never-give-up attitude was the cornerstone to the club’s premiership hopes, with the former Brisbane Bears/Lions champion believing Tape would play a crucial role in the Gold Coast achieving their 20ONE3 goals.

“He is absolutely a blue collar worker and these guys win you premierships,” Kennedy said.

“I played alongside Nigel Lappin, Brad and Chris Scott, Marcus Ashcroft, Shaun Hart – these were blue collar boys, similar too Tape and the fact is these are the people you need to win premierships.”

While Tape admits he'll need to gain valuable match fitness and conditioning through the NEAFL competition before bidding for a spot in the senior team, the promising youngster is just happy to be back playing footy again.

"It'll definitely be good getting some run through the legs and lacing up the boots alongside some of the boys," said Tape.

"My main focus right is playing good football and playing my team role - whether it's in the reserves, or the seniors, I just want to play football."