Collingwood veteran Tom Mitchell will spend the coming weeks in a boot after the club discovered a setback with his troublesome foot.
The Magpies have confirmed Mitchell is dealing with a bone stress injury, with scans coming after reported soreness from the Brownlow Medal winner and revealing another delay to his program.
Mitchell commenced pre-season training in recent weeks after a year hampered by plantar fasciitis, with the 31-year-old kept to just six matches in 2024 - his most recent coming on Anzac Day.
Collingwood will further assess Micthell's ailment prior to the new year, with the club hopeful of a smooth turnaround for the onballer.
“After building up his loads over the off-season, Tom returned to full training last week, and unfortunately, he felt some soreness in his foot,” Magpies high-performance manager Jarrod Wade said.
“A MRI has confirmed that Tom has a mild second metatarsal bone stress injury and he will spend the next two weeks in a boot before we reassess what the next steps are.
“Tom has shown great resilience over the past 12 months and has always been incredibly diligent and committed to his rehab, so we are confident he will come through this next challenge and return to being a fantastic contributor to our side.”
The delicacy of the setback and Mitchell's recent history of foot issues could cause a delay to his 2025 campaign at a time when Collingwood's engine room is undergoing a facelift.
Speaking on Wednesday, teammate Brayden Maynard believes Mitchell still has a place in the Magpies' system, backing the ball winner to get himself ready for a quick turnaround.
"The big fella is pretty flat. He put in a lot of work in the off-season," Maynard said.
"He was looking great, he was moving great, and something went wrong along the way. I feel like he'll be back better and stronger, because I know what he's like on and off the field with the way he goes about it.
"He's professional and he knows what to do."
The Magpies have welcomed the additions of GWS free agent Harry Perryman and Port Adelaide gun Dan Houston this off-season, with both recruits expected to get a look through the middle of the field.
On top of reigning Copeland Trophy winner Nick Daicos, coach Craig McRae is expected to look toward his younger midfield options from 2025, with third-year talent Ed Allan and fringe midfielder Finlay Macrae a chance to see an increase in their opportunities.
Collingwood have close to a fully healthy list nearing the Christmas break, with young flanker Harvey Harrison the notable name in the casualty ward as he continues to recover from an ACL injury.
Harrison has begun working on lateral movements and is over three months into his rehabilitation.
The Magpies will face Richmond in their Community Series match on February 26 and will also be part of a three-club match simulation less than a week prior with Brisbane and Gold Coast.