Cross was the hard-luck story of last year’s finals campaign after he injured his knee late in the season and missed finals including the grand final.

A match-winner when in full-flight, Thurgoona sorely missed his pin-point delivery and goalkicking nous in the grand final – losing to Kiewa Sandy Creek by 38-points.

“I’m back to full fitness,” Cross said.

“I had an arthroscope back in October to remove the medial meniscus and it feels as good as ever now.

“I’m back in full training and looking forward to the start of the season.”

Cross said he delayed the surgery to post season as he clung to the hope if he rested his knee it would recover in time to play in the grand final.

“After I initially injured my knee I was told I would have to miss the rest of the season,” he said.

“It started feeling better after resting it but every time I tried to train with it I got what they call ‘locked knee’, which is when the meniscus gets caught in the knee joint and your knee locks.

“I would be basically hobbling around for another week and then give it another go and the same thing would happen.

“It was then I realised it was no good and I would have to miss the grand final.”

Cross said it was frustrating watching from the sidelines as Thurgoona struggled to adapt to the blustery conditions in the decider.

“As a player, all you want to do is play in finals and especially grand finals,” he said.

“But injuries are also part of the game and that was last year and you can’t dwell on the past and have to look forward.”

Cross has been rarely able to train during the week for almost three years as his job with Joss Constructions requires him to work away.

But in a scary proposition for opposition clubs, the sharpshooter will be able to train more regularly this season.

“I haven’t been able to train for two-and-a-half years because I have been working away,” he said.

“But this year I am working a lot closer to home.

“I’ve found it exciting to get down to training and doing a solid pre-season because I haven’t been able to do that for a while.

“Hopefully it sets me up for a big season and with the training under my belt, I can cope with the rigours of the season and not get injured.”

Cross is set to play his 100^th match for the Dogs late in the season after crossing to the kennel from Albury in 2014.

The 29-year-old booted 86 goals in his first season with Thurgoona and was instrumental in the Dogs’ winning back-to-back flags in 2016-17.