TJ Reid claims that Adrian Mullen has a 50-50 chance of playing for Kilkenny in this year's hurling championship.
Mullen, who was voted Young Hurler of the Year in 2019, suffered a cruciate ligament injury in the Allianz League against Clare last February.
And Reid, his Ballyhale Shamrocks team-mate, is hopeful that the 20-year-old can make it back in time for the Cats' championship assault.
"Adrian is doing very well, no set-backs at all," said Reid. "He’s training away in the gym, that’s all he can do.
"He hasn’t gone back running yet or jumping yet – he’s only doing his prehab work in the gym.
"It’s unfortunate the way it happened to him. He got the operation in March so he should be looking at October, November, December if things go according to plan and no setbacks and the knee is in a good place.
"The next six weeks is crucial to see where he is. He’s meant to be going back running in the next two or three weeks – after that, who knows?
"The All-Ireland series is November and December so it’s 50-50 whether he’ll make November or December."
Reid believes that with the All-Ireland final set for December 13, there could be a special feel to this year's championship.
The Cats' 32-year-old talisman endured a tough lockdown as his gyms in Kilkenny and Galway had to close and, since reopening three weeks ago, he has inevitably seen memberships decline as people adjust to the new normal.
But he has stayed busy, hosting online classes for adults and for children, and now he's gearing up for the club championship that starts on Friday.
In terms of the intercounty championship that follows, Reid said: "The same principles apply - you want to win the All-Ireland and that's just the fact of it.
"Every manager, every person involved in the team will be looking to win that All-Ireland in December and very much looking forward to it because the whole six months has gone.
"So I think the community, the players, the counties, they'll be all very much excited by it and wouldn't it be great going into December, Christmas time, leading up to an All-Ireland final.
"At Christmas, wouldn't it be great walking around town and you see the excitement in people's eyes. I think it's just a matter of getting back to a normal life.
"Whatever team can build momentum and confidence from November and December could be winners and it mightn't be Kilkenny, Tipp or Galway - it might be some team that you haven't been looking at all year.
"It's such a short spell that if a team builds that momentum it could get a lucky break."
What disappoints Reid is that there will be no provincial or All-Ireland club championships this year, not even the possibility of the club All-Ireland being restored to St Patrick's Day in a one-off arrangement.
Ballyhale's ambitions to win the three-in-a-row in Croke Park will have to wait.
"Unfortunately it won’t be going ahead, which is a big loss because most clubs around the country would give their left arm to be in a club All-Ireland (final). But we're looking at different circumstances," said Reid.
"They've said it's cancelled now so I don't think they'll revisit it.
"I always loved St Patrick's Day. I was annoyed when they did change it from St Patrick's Day to be honest, to January, It would be fantastic to have it on St Patrick's Day.
"But this year, unfortunately, I don't think they will change their minds".
