AFL 2025: Josh and Nick Daicos draw closer to Collingwood training returns

Collingwood’s biggest stars are inching closer to a return as new recruits continue to impress in pre-season training.

Collingwood star Darcy Cameron says the Daicos brothers are both edging closer to full training as he hopes Mason Cox will continue to partner him in the ruck in 2025.

Cox has flown home to the US for family reasons this week as Cameron offered his support to the tall, who played second fiddle in a ruck-forward role for six goals from 16 games last season.

The 211cm veteran will face competition from not only a squeeze on forward line spots created by the arrival of Tim Membrey from St Kilda but also from 21-year-old specialist ruck Oscar Steene, who was impressive in the air during match simulation on Wednesday and also ran strongly during a 400m effort at the end of a drill.

Steene, who signed a one-year deal for 2025 towards the end of last season after a toe injury wiped out his entire campaign, ran towards the front of a pack led by Isaac Quaynor, whose conditioning looked closer to the levels that spurred his career-best 2023 campaign.

Collingwood tall Oscar Steene (right) is pressing for an AFL debut in 2025 and has earnt the praise of No.1 ruck Darcy Cameron (left). Picture: Tony Gough

Cameron said Steene, still untried at senior level, had impressed him in drills along with last year’s mid-season recruit Iliro Smit.

“(Steene) is looking really good at the moment – he’s put on a bit of size, he’s running really well,” Cameron said.

“So is big Roo – Iliro Smit – they’re both doing really well at the moment.

“We haven’t really spoken much (about ruck plans) just yet, but hopefully what it looked like last year – I feel like I work really well with Mason, but that’s not my call at the end of the day.

“(Cox) has been training really well this pre-season, and my love goes out to him and his family at the moment.”

Josh Daicos (calf) appeared briefly during Wednesday’s training session for some light work along with star midfielder Jordan De Goey, but Nick Daicos was confined inside as he continued to recover from what the Magpies declared a “mild” case of plantar fasciitis.

Josh Daicos, who could spend more time at halfback this season, is set to return to full training next week after battling a calf issue. Picture: David Crosling

Fellow premiership on-baller Tom Mitchell was still absent from the track, but Cameron said he had also just resumed running after scans before Christmas revealed a bone stress injury to cap off an injury and illness-plagued 2024.

“They’re both running now. I know that Josh is back into full training next week, and Nick’s progressing really well,” Cameron said.

“(Mitchell) is really positive around the club still, and I think he was running either today or yesterday for the first time in a few weeks since it happened.

“We’re looking forward to seeing him out on the track … you feel for him because he does everything right. He works so hard around the club and outside the club as well.”

Among the Magpies’ younger brigade, Reef McInnes continued to catch the eye in a new defensive role, while Harry DeMattia had a prominent on-ball role as he ran with the likes of Steele Sidebottom and Scott Pendlebury during match simulation.

Reef McInnes has caught the eye since his switch into a defensive role. Picture: Quinn Rooney / Getty Images

Strong winds put pressure on the Pies’ foot skills, but McInnes was noticeably clean as he mopped up on the last line of defence and distributed the ball confidently while keeping a lid on his direct opponent Beau McCreery.

Cameron said McInnes was “hopefully” the replacement for premiership backman Nathan Murphy that the Magpies had sorely lacked last year.

“Murph was a really big out for us – you can’t replace a person like Nathan Murphy – but Reef has done a really good job of bringing his strengths,” he said.

“He’s training really well, and that move down back is looking really good for him.”

Up forward, Dan McStay moved sharply and caused headaches for his opponent Charlie Dean, while Cameron also pushed forward aggressively to stretch the Magpies’ first-choice defence.

“F---ing talk to me, Chooka, f--k me,” Jeremy Howe yelled over his shoulder at Billy Frampton after Cameron pushed past him to come over the top of Howe in a marking contest.

New AFL football department employee Joel Selwood was spotted on the outskirts of training, with Cameron saying the Geelong premiership captain was there as an observer.

“He’s just hovering around the club, sort of sussing out what we’re about at the moment,” Cameron said.

“Fly (coach Craig McRae) introduced him this morning – he’s just going to be at the club for the day, I think.”

The Magpies have four weeks to prepare for their first pre-season games – a “triangular series” match simulation on the Gold Coast against Brisbane and the Suns on February 20.