COLLINGWOOD will take a patient approach with its two top 10 picks from last year's NAB AFL Draft, Matt Scharenberg and Nathan Freeman, as they recover from injury.
Scharenberg, last year's No.6 pick, had an operation on both feet in February and is back running. However, no date has been set for his return.
Magpies football manager Rodney Eade told AFL.com.au Scharenberg was ticking the boxes as he moved through each stage of his rehabilitation.
He said a return anywhere between rounds 13 and 15 was a conservative estimate even though the operations had been successful.
"He's been running outside for a little while now and we're just steadily increasing [the volume] step by step," Eade said.
In 2013, Scharenberg missed the end of his season with SANFL club Glenelg and sat out last year's NAB AFL Draft Combine after struggling to overcome issues with his feet.
While some clubs had concerns over the injury in the lead-up to the draft, the Pies took a long-term view and selected the athletic utility with their first pick.
Freeman, last year's No.10 pick, tore his hamstring against Geelong at Simonds Stadium in the first game of the NAB Challenge.
He damaged his hamstring tendon and remains three to four weeks away from a return.
"He'll need to do a little bit of high intensity work as well, then get into the footy work," Eade said.
Scharenberg and Freeman are the only top 10 picks from last year's draft yet to play a senior game but the Magpies have high hopes for the 18-year-olds.
Therefore the focus this season will be on building a foundation for long careers.
"[They're] young boys," Eade said. "[We] see them as 10 or 12 year players."
The Magpies are also pleased with the form of Tim Broomhead – pick 20 in the 2012 NAB AFL Draft – who has returned from a broken wrist via the VFL.
He kicked three goals in the VFL and could earn a senior game at some stage.
Collingwood had eight players with fewer than 25 games experience play in the team that defeated Carlton on Friday night.
It also has increasing pressure for spots as stalwarts such as Nick Maxwell, Ben Reid and Alan Toovey remain on the sidelines with injury.
