Jesinta Campbell says AFL star fiancee Buddy Franklin is doing well after taking time off to cope with a mental illness last year.

Speaking on Channel Nine’s Today Show, model Campbell said Sydney star Franklin was taking the illness day by day, but it was a long journey.

“I don’t think you ever truly recover from a mental health issue,” Campbell said.

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“It is really something that you battle with and challenge with every day.

“You just have to tackle the day and do the best that you can.”

Franklin announced an indefinite break from the Sydney Swans in September, but began training with the squad again in December.

Campbell said the star forward had left early for training on Monday morning, and was looking particularly fit.

“The big boy is back and let me tell you, he’s training the roof down. He’s looking really muscly actually, which I’m loving,” she added.

The model, who has been fairly open about her fiancee’s battle with the illness since it was announced, encouraged the public to see Franklin as more than a “bullet-proof sports star”.

“Being really sympathetic of that [would be great],” she said.

“I think the best thing as a country we could do is to be kinder to people.”

In November, Franklin said he was glad he had “put his hand up” and asked for help, and encouraged others suffering mental illness to do the same.

Recently, Franklin and Campbell announced plans to delay their wedding while the ex-Hawk copes with the illness.