Collingwood draftee Will Hayes has made his case for an early season debut known after an electrifying match simulation at the Magpies' pre-season training on Friday.
Hayes, taken at Pick 56, is a speedy wingman with clever running patterns and evasive agility, and he demonstrated his potential on a warm morning at AIA Cente.
The match sim began with a strong contested mark inside 50 by Darcy Cameron, followed by a couple of clearances generated by Fin Macrae, but it was soon Hayes' time to shine.
The wingman got in amongst the contest and cooly sidestepped and bypassed opposing tacklers to notch a couple of clearances to his name, notably hitting his targets directly on the chest.
He played a quarterback role for the next few run-throughs and again placed perfectly lofted kicks to teammates to send his side into transition.
His match-sim efforts looked to have peaked after he demonstrated classy poise to hesitate and then chip a kick flawlessly to Tim Membrey, which was lauded by teammates who ran over to give the 18-year-old a pat on the back. However, just minutes later Hayes was on the end of a handball chain and kicked a running checkside through the middle sticks to cap off an eye-catching display at training.
Earlier in the session, most of the Magpies squad participated in a 30-15 intermittent fitness test to measure their endurance capacity. Hayes again excelled against his teammates, tying second with Oleg Markov as they bowed out at the same stage. Usual suspect Isaac Quaynor blitzed the test, hardly breaking a sweat for the majority of the run.
A group of familiar faces ran individually or in small groups, including the likes of Jordan De Goey, Josh Daicos, Bobby Hill, Darcy Moore, and Jeremy Howe.
Moore and Hill ran a separate program together for most of the session, not participating in kicking drills, the endurance test, or match sim.
Harvey Harrison too completed an individual program as he recovers from an ACL injury. The 21-year-old forward appears to be making steady progress as he looked unconcerned with his injury when doing explosive exercises and sprints.
Nick Daicos' leadership potential was highlighted as he was a commanding voice when organising drills. As the star midfielder enters his fourth season, Daicos looks ready to take a leadership position - whether formally or informally is yet to be announced.
Collingwood will be gearing up for their first match of 2025 in the Community Series, taking on Richmond at IKON Park on February 26. The Pies will then begin the home and away season with an Opening Round trip to New South Wales as they start their year against GWS for a second consecutive season.