The 21-year-old suffered a punctured lung, broken rib and dislocated shoulder after being struck by a car and thrown from his push bike just before pre-season started.

Hopper hasn’t played this year but he is edging closer to a return, which could come as early as Saturday against Wodonga Raiders at Birallee Park through the reserves.

But footy is irrelevant when it comes to Hopper’s brush with death.

“I was pretty lucky, really,” Hopper said.

“It could have been a lot different and that’s hard to hear.”

Hopper was stepping up his own pre-season training when he was hit by a car at a roundabout on Burrows Road in Lavington.

Not surprisingly, he hasn’t been on a bike since.

“We were getting into our riding a fair bit and it was just a normal Saturday morning ride,” Hopper said.

“It was the weekend before pre-season started

“A bloke didn’t give way to me.

“I was on my racer and he got me pretty good.”

While Hopper had a reconstruction on his dislocated shoulder, he also received a head injury, which has kept him from returning to the field.

There’s still some boxes he has to tick with his neurosurgeon, and there is the possibility Hopper might not play at all this season.

And that’s hard to hear for a youngster who’s back in full training and eager to join his mates on the field.

“I’ve still got a few more tests to pass,” Hopper said.

“I’m just going to be guided by this neurologist that I’m seeing.

“I’ve been back training and doing weights for a while now, (but) they don’t want me to get knocked out again.”

Hopper played 19 of 21 games last season.

His last game was Lavington’s heart-breaking one-point loss to Yarrawonga in the preliminary final.

Lavington has lost just two games this season and is again on track to give the premiership a real shake.

“They’re going well the boys so I want to get back out there,” Hopper said.

“I’ve never really had any big injuries so to see the boys playing so well, it does cut you up a bit.

“Some games have been harder to watch than others.

“Especially the big ones ... to not be a part of that is hard.”

Lavington could get several players back for Saturday’s match with the Raiders.

Tom Yensch could replace the suspended Jamarl O’Sullivan in the ruck, while Kade Stevens and Matt Pendergast are pushing their claims.