Josh Kelly has declared he's primed to attack the new year fully fit after a frustrating 2018 season in which he missed eight games.

The gun midfielder said he was confident he would remain fit and healthy next year after skipping his annual overseas holiday during the off-season to have surgery on his troublesome right hip and right knee.

The 2017 club champion and All Australian onballer missed six games with groin issues early this year, but he's confident the hip surgery has fixed that problem.

He also had his knee cleaned up after going down in the opening quarter of the GIANTS’ elimination final win over Sydney at the SCG, an injury that forced him to miss the club's loss to Collingwood a week later as the team's season was ended.

Kelly had both surgeries in Melbourne within the space of a week once the year was over, and told AFL.com.au that he had been back in the gym for several weeks working hard on his rehabilitation.

"I'll be on a modified program (when pre-season begins) to make sure we get on top of these things and sort it all out, but it's all designed to get me in the best nick for round one," he said.

"The hip is usually the longer rehabilitation, but right now they both feel really good.

"It's all about getting the surrounding areas likes my glutes and hamstrings right, so once I'm back playing there's no issues.

"I'm feeling strong and confident and I'm setting myself up for a smooth 2019."

The GIANTS sorely missed Kelly's class in their finals exit against the Magpies, with the visitors well beaten in the midfield where Steele Sidebottom, Adam Treloar, Scott Pendlebury, Taylor Adams and Tom Phillips ran riot.

However, despite Collingwood's dominance, the final margin of the semi-final was just 10 points, and the GIANTS' most gifted onballer said it was heartbreaking being forced to miss such a massive game.

"In those situations, you want to be out there because you feel like you can help the team and impact games, but you feel a bit helpless," he said.

"No doubt that was magnified come finals and in that game against Collingwood when it was close, and the game was on the line.

"It was really tough."

Kelly is due to begin pre-season training on December 3 with the rest of the GIANTS’ established players, with their younger brigade to hit the track on Monday.