Jeremy Howe: The secret weapon which should have Collingwood fans licking their lips

Jeremy Howe knows a thing or two about coming back from injury, but he tells GLENN McFARLANE one Pie on the comeback trail has him licking his lips at the prospect of adding him to the premiership defence.

Dan McStay has his Collingwood teammates “licking” their lips in anticipation as the key forward prepares to resume in the VFL for his first game since undergoing a knee reconstruction late last year.

In some hugely positive news after an injury-plagued Magpies’ season, McStay could put his knee to the test as early as Saturday when Collingwood’s VFL side takes on Geelong at Victoria Park.

Teammate Jeremy Howe said while he didn’t want to put too much pressure on McStay, he had never seen a player return as fit and focused as the key forward who had put a power of work into preparing himself for a run through to the finals.

Daniel McStay of the Magpies in action during a Collingwood Magpies AFL training session at Olympic Park Oval this month. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

“He (McStay) is as good a nick as I’ve ever seen anyone (returning from injury),” Howe explained.

“You don’t want to put too much pressure on him, but from what we have seen at training, you are kind of licking your lips as to what he can provide (this year).”

Collingwood’s forward stocks have been decimated this season with Brody Mihocek the latest casualty, suffering a ruptured pectoral muscle in last week’s loss, sidelining him for at least the rest of the home and away season.

Jamie Elliott has recovered from the vascular issue which has kept him out since the win over Carlton in round 8. He will push hard for selection to take on Geelong at AFL level this Friday night, having increased his running loads across the past few weeks.

Howe has been forced to move forward in recent weeks to help out and is prepared to play that role for as long the club needs him, even though he would prefer to be down back.

McStay was the heartbreaking story from Collingwood’s grand final success last season, having suffered a high medial strain in the preliminary final win over Greater Western Sydney.

He then suffered an ACL tear in late November last year, but he refused to believe he could not get himself back in 2024.

Daniel McStay of the Magpies takes a contested mark during a Collingwood Magpies AFL training session at Olympic Park Oval on July 03, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images.

“You saw last year how important he was to us in the finals late,” Howe said of McStay, who booted two goals in each of Collingwood’s first two finals last year.

“We wouldn’t have made the ‘granny’ if he didn’t play in those finals.”

Asked about the power of work McStay had put in over the past eight months, Howe said: “He has been out of control … he stacked on so much muscle he could barely fit through the door. He looked about 10 kilos heavier, but shredded and bulky.”

“Once he started running and he got footy fit, he leaned out.”

McStay’s positive energy around the group in recent weeks had helped to galvanise the group in recent weeks.

“You are always looking for an opportunity to get the group up and ‘DMac’ is doing that,” Howe said. “He will keep doing that, regardless of whether he has to play a bit of VFL first.”

“Hopefully he can be back sooner rather than later.”

Howe said he “didn’t mind playing forward” if the team needed him to, which could be the case in Mihocek’s absence.

“I will probably play that (forward) role for the foreseeable future,” he said.

“With any luck, we will get ‘DMac’ back soon. He can’t be doing too much more … no one is going to put pressure on him to come back earlier, but it will be nice to have him back.”

Originally published as Jeremy Howe: The secret weapon which should have Collingwood fans licking their lips