Ten days out from their practice match hitout against Gold Coast and Brisbane in Queensland, Collingwood took the field at the AIA Centre for one of their final pre-season sessions.
In his preparations for the Indigenous All Stars match at Optus Stadium this weekend, Bobby Hill looked dangerous throughout match simulation drills, including a textbook roving snap for a goal and a constant tackling threat.
Hill recently declared the Pies were bringing back the โfast and freeโ ball movement that propelled Collingwood to a premiership in 2023.
Collingwood is not without injury concerns. Harvey Harrison, who is recovering from an ACL injury sustained in August, didn't participate in training but appeared to be running well as he completed laps of the field.
Both Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell could also be seen completing running tests along the boundary, and both appeared to be moving well. Neither player featured in match simulation, with De Goey managing a knock to the knee and Mitchell dealing with a bone-stress injury.
Beau McCreery and Finlay Macrae were also absent from match simulations, instead completing running drills away from the main group.
Nick Daicos, who has been managing plantar fasciitis in his foot throughout pre-season, looked primed and ready for match play, attacking the football hard and maintaining a high level of intensity.
Daicos was a constant force in the midfield, combining in multiple fast handball chains with Isaac Quaynor and Jack Crisp.
Reef McInnes was a notable presence in a new-look Pies backline. The 22-year-old has spent his first three seasons as a forward but has struggled to make an impact due to recurring injuries hampering his development.
Although his defending didn't particularly stand out, McInnes certainly has the physicality to match opposition key talls and appeared to be moving well throughout training. Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe were vocal throughout the session, particularly towards McInnes as he developed his craft.
Moore impressed in Collingwood's match simulation. The two-time All-Australian defender looked back to his best as an intercept marker, with the skipper effectively nullifying opposition key forwards through his defensive intelligence.
Collingwood will hit the field on Thursday, February 20 against both the Gold Coast and Brisbane in a threeway hitout that will see each club play each other for two quarters.
