When Jack Petruccelle made a leap forward in his second AFL campaign, it came after coach Adam Simpson lauded the emerging small forward's “breakout pre-season”.

Following the retirement of Mark LeCras after the 2018 premiership, Petruccelle sensed the opportunity to seize a spot and grabbed it with a standout summer on the training track.

It gave him confidence to succeed in the cutthroat elite environment, and a 21-goal return from 20 games – which included a Rising Star nomination following a five-goal haul against Port Adelaide – stamped him as an Eagle to keep an eye on.

But, just as quickly as his career seemed to be taking off, the handbrake was yanked.

After three rounds and some form struggles in a misfiring team, either side of the COVID-enforced season shutdown, Petruccelle found himself out of the team and forced to fight his way back through scrimmages and non-contact training.

Then disaster struck, with the 21-year-old suffering a severely torn hamstring during a hit-out against Brisbane's reserves. 

While Petruccelle made it back for the last two rounds and elimination final, he was still trying to find his feet when West Coast’s year ended abruptly against Collingwood in another epic post-season clash.

But after an off-season to refresh and with renewed confidence in his repaired hamstring the speedster is gearing up for another robust preparation over summer, which he hopes will help catapult him back into West Coast’s line-up regularly next year.

“It was a very frustrating year,” a candid Petruccelle told westcoasteagles.com.au.

“Started off just out of form, I was playing some not great footy, and then playing in the second side in the scrimmages I found a bit of form and then unfortunately done my hamstring, so that put me out for a bit.

“I came back and probably still lacked a bit of form. Hopefully this year I can have a big pre-season, get fitter and better, and hopefully have a better year next year.”

Speaking after recently returning to training with the Eagles’ first-to-fourth-year players, Petruccelle revealed the serious nature of his hamstring tear.

“I just avoided surgery. It was just hanging on," Petruccelle said.

“It was a longer recovery than a normal hammy just because it was almost completely off the bone. In the end it was about 10 or 11 weeks I was on the sidelines for.

“Mentally is a big challenge as well and that’s probably why you spend a couple of extra weeks on the sidelines just testing that.

“Towards the end of the rehab process you do all your sprint sessions and the physios are really good and (the) trainers."

While the battle to get back was just as much a mental challenge as physical, Petruccelle confirmed he hasn't lost any of his breakneck speed. 

“No dramas anymore. I feel healthy. When you come back it’s a big confidence thing so you get a bit worried about it," he said.

“But with the time off that’s helped me a lot, so I’ve come back and I don’t even worry about it anymore. It feels normal.

“All the strength work we do in the gym, it’s back to pretty even, which is good, and that gives me confidence by itself.”

While Petruccelle went through a tough year – on top of the unique challenges presented by a COVID-impacted season – there was a silver lining when he put pen to paper on a contract extension.

The Victorian youngster’s fresh deal will keep him in blue and gold until at least the end of 2023, and he was eager to remain part of an emerging group keen to push the club forward.

“I’ve got three years which I was absolutely stoked about. Love the club, love being here, so I was stoked the club gave me the opportunity after a pretty poor year for myself,” Petruccelle said.

“I’m looking forward to 2021. I hope I have a big pre-season and get fitter, get stronger and get better.

“I hope the team can go further this year and have a real shake at the flag at the end of the day.”