AFL pre-season: All the latest Collingwood news and training intel

Brody Mihocek played a lone hand in attack for Collingwood last year - but he’s set to get some new help in 2022. All the key takeouts from Magpies training.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – JANUARY 21: Scott Pendlebury of the Magpies in action during the Collingwood Magpies training session at Olympic Park Oval on January 21, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

The pieces are starting to fall into place for Collingwood.

Two of the club’s injured stars are closing in on returns and another is getting back to his best.

Plus, there’s good news for Jordan De Goey.

Here’s all the latest intel from the Holden Centre.

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Jordan De Goey is back in business. Picture: Getty Images

DE GOEY DOING WELL

All eyes at Olympic Park continue to be on Jordan De Goey, who appears to have slotted back into Collingwood training seamlessly.

De Goey was invited back into the fold in late January after being stood down for almost three months following assault charges after an incident at a New York party on Halloween.

Collingwood lifted its ban on its star player after receiving a written agreement that the 25-year-old would plead guilty to a lesser second-degree harassment violation.

There was no Halloween costume at training on Friday morning, but De Goey looked fit and capable of putting a scare through some opposition sides again this season.

He spent time training primarily with the midfield group, as well as a little time with the forwards.

The Magpies have asked De Goey to be “all in” and he appears to be exactly that in his first weeks back under new coach Craig McRae.

MOORE MOVING

Collingwood’s woes last season went from bad to worse after key defender Darcy Moore went down with a season-ending knee injury against Melbourne in Round 13.

But the 2020 All-Australian is back fit and firing.

Moore has resumed full training and is again set to be a key pillar in defence for the Magpies this season, with McRae planning not to flirt with form and swing him forward as he has done on occasion in recent years.

Fellow key defender Jordan Roughead did some sprint work away from the main group for the duration of Friday’s training session, but the move was to do some “de-loading” as opposed to any injury issues.

Darcy Moore is fit and firing. Picture: Getty Images

PENDLES PREPARATION RAMPING UP

Moore aside, Collingwood’s only other injury concern has been captain Scott Pendlebury, who has been recovering from a fracture he suffered in his left leg in December.

The 34-year-old remains on a slightly modified training program that is reducing the amount of running he completes to try and limit any further issues.

However, Pendlebury flew through agility drills with no problems on Friday and should be cherry ripe again in coming weeks.

Pendlebury trained with both the defenders and midfielders during Friday’s track run as he prepares for a new role this season which will see him spend more time across halfback.

Scott Pendlebury is set to spend more time in defence this season. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

MORE KEYS IN ATTACK

Brody Mihocek played a lone hand as a tall option in attack at stages last season but looks set to have some added help this year.

The Pies secured Nathan Kreuger from Geelong during the trade period last year, who was played as a defender at the Cats.

However, the 196cm tall has been training exclusively with the forward group and shapes as a mobile and agile big man who can provide a chop-out for Mihocek.

Expect Will Kelly to also enjoy some more game time as a mid-sized forward this season, having played just three games across the past two years due to a wretched run with injury.

Former Western Bulldogs talent Patrick Lipinski is also training with the new-look group of Collingwood forwards.

Brodie Grundy has been putting in work this pre-season. Picture: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

TRIMMED GRUNDY

Star ruckman Brodie Grundy has trimmed off his man bun and has also trimmed off some kilos as he looks to get back to his “vintage” best this season.

Grundy has been a standout on the track over summer and looks to be moving as well as ever, to the delight of the Magpies after he had had a lesser impact over the past two years by his lofty standards.

Grundy was an All-Australian and Collingwood best-and-fairest in both 2018 and 2019, but finished sixth in the Magpies’ best and fairest last season and missed out on the All-Australian squad.