COLLINGWOOD swingman Ben Reid has returned to full training as he looks to put an injury-riddled 2014 season behind him.
Reid, who managed just four games this year because of a series of niggling calf and quad concerns, is on track to bolster the Magpies' line-up in 2015.
Defender Nathan Brown, who had season-ending shoulder surgery in May, is also pushing his case to return early.
"Nathan Brown has returned really well. He's progressing nicely and will return to full training before Christmas," Magpies football operations manager Marcus Wagner told the club's website.
"Ben Reid has also returned to full training after missing a lot of footy last year and he’s looking great."
The key pair, who played just seven games between them in 2014, joined teammates on the track for a running session on Wednesday morning.
For the bulk of the squad, the session focused on repeat speed efforts with allotted rest times in between.
According to Wagner, the squad is far better prepared this year when compared to last pre-season.
"The boys are in fantastic condition," Wagner said.
"I think the first-to-fourth year players, when they returned on the fifth of November, really set the tone, and we made sure that the older boys knew the condition that the young boys came back in was outstanding, and that really spurred them on."
In more positive signs for the Pies, Matt Scharenberg and Brent Macaffer were both running laps at training on Wednesday as they continue their rehabilitation from torn anterior cruciate ligaments sustained in August this year.
Scharenberg and Macaffer are unlikely to feature in full training until after Christmas.
"Matt came back from the off-season in fantastic condition - we couldn't have expected more from a guy coming into his second year at the club," Wagner said.
"The way he presented himself was fabulous. We’re not going to rush him.
"With Brent, he set a very audacious goal of returning in round one, and no one’s going to get in his way, so he’s still every chance to hit that target."
Captain Scott Pendlebury and ruckman Jarrod Witts, who both had shoulder surgery at the end of the season, should be right to return to full training after Christmas.
