Collingwood midfielder Tom Mitchell will grace the football field for the first time since Anzac Day in 2024 after a string of persistent foot injuries.
Mitchell was last seen in the marquee clash against Essendon, where he collected 19 disposals but was subbed out.
The 2018 Brownlow medallist struggled to overcome the foot injury, whilst also having his appendix removed as he began to build up towards AFL level.
Mitchell will play against the Northern Bullants on Saturday at Genis Street Oval in Preston.
"Yeah, getting very close to playing again, it's been a long time coming," Mitchell said on Tuesday at the Big Freeze 11 launch.
"I'll be playing half a game this weekend for the first time over 12 months, I am very excited to run out and play again.
"I am excited just to play footy again, I'll worry about selection and those things in the weeks to come, I just want to get out there and play footy.
"I will play a half this week, three quarters the following week and see where we're at."
Due to Mitchell's absence, Pies coach Craig McRae has been forced to shuffle the magnets around in the midfield.
Veteran Steele Sidebottom has upped his usual centre-bounce output to help fill the void, while the emergence of Ned Long has given Nick Daicos the license to play a slightly more outside game.
Harry Perryman has also been used sparingly to add any other dynamic to the Collingwood on-ball brigade.
But the return of Mitchell, which will be at least another three to four weeks away, would offer McRae another look at an experienced midfield group, which took the club to its record-equalling 16th premiership in 2023.
The former Swan and Hawk crossed to the AIA Centre ahead of the flag-winning season, and was instrumental, averaging 25.3 possessions, 4.8 clearances, 4.7 score involvements and six tackles.
McRae has given opportunities to Long, Lachie Sullivan and Ed Allan in Mitchell's place, but the three-club player could be a welcome commodity when the whips start cracking in the second half of the year.