Reed is anticipating a cautious pre-season return at the Coffs Harbour Blitz tournament in just over a week’s time.

“I’ll be under physio’s supervision and will be expecting to get into the rotation at the Blitz and work my way back,” he said.

“The key issue now is getting strength back in the leg but I’m really pleased with how it feels – it’s already feeling much better than it was last November.”

Over the last month, Reed has been a daily visitor to Tony Ayoub’s SportsFizz practice in Bankstown where he undergoes 90 minute sessions.

Part of Ayoub’s job is to hold the eager Reed back, “The physio’s saying I’ve got to slow down and am wanting to rush things and of course that’s in my own best interests but the leg feels good and I want to get it to 100 percent by the Blitz,” said Reed.

Meanwhile a question mark hangs over the ability of Razorbacks stars James Harvey and Cam Rigby to make a return from injury in time for the NBL Blitz next week.

Harvey must rest his Achilles tendonitis for another five days so will certainly miss the Razors' pre-season match against newcomers, Singapore at Terrigal on Saturday and the game against the Hawks in Wollongong on Wednesday.

But, physiotherapist Tony Ayoub expects him to start running by early next week. “We’ll have him back playing soon but there’s no certainty he’ll be right in time for the Blitz,” said Ayoub. “He maybe okay for some minutes.”

If Harvey misses the Blitz he will have just two pre-season matches remaining ahead of the Razorbacks Philips Championship home court opener against Cairns on October 4.

The late start to the season, which sees the Razors get byes in the first two rounds, has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, buying crucial time for three key players to make their way back from injury.

As well as Harvey, Cam Rigby has been sitting out most of the pre-season with a hip injury for which he will undergo an MRI scan in the next two days. He has other concerns too, “Cam also has an ankle injury which is currently more of a problem – scarring is impinging the joint. Still we hope he’ll be back in training next week,” said Ayoub.”

Razorbacks remaining pre-season matches
Saturday 2 September v Singapore 7.00pm Bridgecoast Stadium, Terrigal
Wednesday 6 September v Wollongong 7.30pm, Snakepit, Wollongong
Friday 8 and Saturday 9 September NBL BLITZ at Coffs Harbour
Tuesday 12 September v Wollongong at 7.00pm Penrith Basketball Association
Thursday 14 September v New Zealand at 7.00pm Bankstown Basketball Association