COLLINGWOOD young gun Jaidyn Stephenson hasn't ruled out a scheduled break in the second half of the season as the Magpies attempt to play finals for the first time since 2013.
The 19-year-old has played every game this year and earned the round four NAB AFL Rising Star nomination to surpass his own expectations of his debut season.
While he said he felt he could have kept playing last weekend as the Pies enjoyed their mid-season bye, he reasoned he may need another weekend off as September approaches.
"With the bye on the weekend, I had a good five days back home with my family, so I think that's good enough for the time being and we'll assess that further in the year if I need another break," Stephenson said on Wednesday.
"The body has been fine, the mind … it is a bit of a grind and you don't really know that until you're in it.
"I'm just taking it week by week and trying to get a game every week."
Stephenson has been part of a versatile and mobile forward structure this year that has midfielders Will Hoskin-Elliott (27 goals), Josh Thomas (20), Stephenson (18) and Jordan De Goey (16) leading the Magpies' goal-kicking.
Stephenson himself has enjoyed two big bags – five against Adelaide in round four and four in the win over Melbourne two weeks ago – and said he'd enjoyed being part of such a dynamic attack.
"It's great. I'm just lucky enough to get on the end of it," he said.
"We've had De Goey, [Mason] Cox, Thomas, Hoskin-Elliott … they've all had big bags of five or six, so it's been great.
"When you've got six forwards who can all kick lots of goals, it's certainly going to help the team."
The Pies are also hoping to regain two-time leading goalkicker Jamie Elliott in the second half of the season, with the injury-hit forward a chance to play in the VFL the weekend after next.
Stephenson said he didn't expect his role to change too much if Elliott managed to get back into the side.
"I don't think I'll spend too much time in the midfield, but I'm happy to do whatever," he said.
"To have Jamie back in the side will just be great and he's such a good forward."