Collingwood midfielder Pat Lipinski limped from the Victoria Park ground during pre-season training on Monday with an apparent injury to his right ankle.
The 25-year-old briefly returned to jog a lap of the oval before being escorted from the ground holding his right boot in-hand, per multiple reports from the venue.
He was later seen hobbling around the venue with ice on his ankle, assuring teammates it is only a minor sprain.
Collingwood recruit Lachie Schultz spoke with media on Monday and confirmed: "I just spoke to him (Lipinski) before, he said he just went over on his ankle so I think it's just a little sprain he'll be fine."
Still, the Magpies will approach it with caution having just ruled out key forward Dan McStay for the entire 2024 season with an ACL rupture.
“Obviously, it's a huge loss losing Dan … we have got great coverage up there. I have full confidence whoever it is to come in and play that role,” Schultz added.
With no household full-forward names set to replace McStay, Collingwood have trialled Billy Frampton, Ash Johnson and Reef McInnes in the role thus far before Christmas.
None of these three provide the same contested clunking target that McStay added as a 2023 recruit.
Mason Cox, who is absent from training and currently back home in the US, also remains a forward/ruck option replacement.
