Collingwood coach Craig McRae may have found a boom \u2018recruit\u2019 in the form of a premiership superstar.<\/p>\n
A fit and happy Jordan De Goey had seemingly broken the shackles of a setback riddled 2025 when he was one of the standouts at the Magpies\u2019 main session on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
The 29-year-old played just 11 games last season \u2013 which included only a half against Brisbane \u2013 after an interrupted start to the year.<\/p>\n
De Goey came good by the end of the season and was brilliant in the first final \u2013 but the impact of his absence had already taken a huge toll on the Pies.<\/p>\n
There will be solace in seeing that trademark explosiveness ahead of 2026, particularly in a drill called \u201c1v1 fight\u201d that simulated an around the ground ball up or boundary throw in.<\/p>\n
In a wrestle close to the tap, De Goey was undefeated and did so with an element of cheek, laughing at some of his teammates when he won a battle despite forfeiting early position.<\/p>\n
Unlocking the best of De Goey has a major domino effect for Collingwood, as less demand will be heaped on Nick Daicos and veteran Scott Pendlebury.<\/p>\n
Daicos had arguably a career-best season last year but he and the Magpies needed another ace in the middle to lighten the load.<\/p>\n
He sent a shiver down the spine of Collingwood fans last week when he left the track but he returned later that session and suggested a clean bill of health on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Neither De Goey nor Daicos participated in the final drill but the former was in good spirits on the sidelines while the latter completed some goal kicking.<\/p>\n
Ned Long, looking leaner and easily covering the ground, was in the group doing extras near the end of the session while Patrick Lipinski and draftee Tyan Prindable trained well.<\/p>\n
PENDLES AND THE LIGHT DUTIES<\/p>\n
A deeper trust in De Goey and his body will allow greater flexibility for some of Collingwood\u2019s ageing stars.<\/p>\n
Pendlebury spent the line fundamentals portion of training exclusively a part of the backline.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s conjecture around whether that is a certain move for the veteran or whether he was filling the void of a defender-heavy contingent of players on light duties.<\/p>\n
Jack Crisp, Isaac Quaynor, Darcy Moore, Reef McInnes, Dan McStay and Beau McCreery were on the far wing doing an extended warm up before some slow run throughs.<\/p>\n
Pendlebury himself was receiving treatment on a hip region and applied a lower back brace after the warm up but ultimately took part in the session.<\/p>\n
McRae likened Pendlebury to a conductor directing an orchestra when he iced a game against Melbourne across half back late last year.<\/p>\n
Pendlebury is a certainty to reach Brent Harvey\u2019s games record this year (needing just eight) but he will spring well beyond that if he can play a less demanding role across half back.<\/p>\n
THE FINER DETAILS<\/p>\n
Collingwood rolled out a smorgasbord of bite-sized drills on Wednesday, including one designed to sharpen a fading fundamental of the game.<\/p>\n
A small drill focused on maintaining possession had a mandatory factor of kicking on your opposite foot.<\/p>\n
The craft of kicking on the non-preferred foot has slowly drifted out of the game but the Magpies clearly still see it as a valuable weapon to have.<\/p>\n
It wasn\u2019t the only clever drill or practice in place, with McStay seemingly working on going to ground safely in tackles.<\/p>\n
McStay, who has had his fair share of knee troubles, was putting his one-on-one conversation with a coach into action late in the session.<\/p>\n
The coach was showing different ways of landing and twisting before they went through a number of light tackles to the ground.<\/p>\n