Injury blow for Pies with White out for three weeks
Magpie Jesse White to miss three weeks' training with ankle issue
COLLINGWOOD forward Jesse White has escaped serious injury after scans revealed he would miss three weeks of training with a medium grade sprained ankle.
White, who had impressed in the early stages of the pre-season, rolled his ankle at training on Monday, prompting fears he could face a more lengthy spell on the sidelines.
He will now be back in full training well ahead of the Magpies' NAB Challenge opener against Hawthorn on February 26.
White dropped eight kilograms over the off-season and has shed 27 seconds from his personal best 2km time result.
Football director Neil Balme told the club's website he had been "training fabulously" before limping off the track on Monday.
The former Sydney Swans big man, who crossed to Collingwood ahead of the 2014 season, booted 20 goals in 18 games in his first season with the Magpies.
Father-son recruit Darcy Moore (toe) and defender Alan Toovey (calf) have each suffered minor setbacks this pre-season, while defender Ben Reid was sent to Germany to receive treatment for persistent muscle strains.
The Magpies are confident their Reid decision will reap benefits.
Reid, who has dealt with a multitude of soft-tissue injuries in the past 12 months, is being assessed by Bayern Munich club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt, who initially treated the All Australian defender.
"Ben is on his way back (from Germany) now. All the reports are that we're expecting a pretty good outcome from this," Balme said.
"We always thought it was pretty minor injury in itself; it (the idea of sending Reid to Germany) is just around the other soft tissue injuries to see if there's any systemic problem.
"The reports so far show that he should be able to respond pretty well to this and he should be able to be flying when he gets back."
Balme said the Magpies were pleased with Dane Swan's recovery from off-season hip surgery.
The 2011 Brownlow medallist has been stuck in the rehab group at training, spending the bulk of his sessions running laps, and is yet to join his teammates in football-specific drills.
"Dane's training very well. He's had a fair bit of surgery post-season, so what we're doing is working him into a position of fitness where he can play," Balme said.
"He's not in the regular program with the footies, but he's working really hard. We're really pleased with where he is at the minute."
After knee reconstructions late last year, Brent Macaffer and Matt Scharenberg are also progressing ahead of schedule, although the club is loath to set a specific return date for the pair.
"We can't put a time on when they'll play, but we expect both of them to have some kind of impact in this year's season but we're just not sure when," Balme said.