An injury-plagued On Friday, as recruits shown their class, Magpie exited the field.
During preseason training on Friday, Collingwood’s star forward Dan McStay hobbled off the field following a collision with Tew Jiath during a marking contest.
As the practice went on, McStay reached for his back and lower leg area before limping off the AIA Centre deck after Jiath misjudged his launch for the mark and unintentionally struck him with his body.
The Pies practiced their offensive transition from the backline during the training block, and McStay was not seen for the rest of the session.
McStay’s tenure at the Pies has been marred by injuries; he played just 14 games in 2023, missed out on a premiership medal because of an MCL injury sustained in the preliminary final, and only added five more games to his career total in 2024 because of a preseason ACL rupture.
In mid-2023, McStay missed 13 weeks of action due to a persistent finger injury.
Star Pie Nick Daicos continued his progression in recovery from plantar fasciitis, seen early on with the rehab group, but participated in the whole-team transition drills later in the session.
The gun father-son tore up a passage of play in the midfield, moving with seemingly no impact from the foot soreness, punching out a perfectly weighted handball that resulted in a kick firing into an uncontested Tim Membrey inside 50.
Recruit Dan Houston looked poised with the football in two drills practising ball movement through contested traffic, and demonstrated his class in the transition drills, as did fellow recruit Harry Perryman.
Draftee Will Hayes continued an impressive first pre-season, lacing out teammates with low bullet passes inside 50.
In other injury news, Mitchell continued his road to recovery with light touch drills and running, positioned in the rehab group with Reef McInnes, Harvey Harrison, and Will Hoskin-Elliott.
The Magpies are just weeks away from their first scratch match of the season, with a three-team hitout against Gold Coast and Brisbane on February 20, where each club will play one another for two quarters each.
Just six days later, Collingwood will play their first official practice match in the Community Series against Richmond, before travelling back interstate for their Opening Round clash against GWS.
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