Medical room: Alan Didak has been the only player on a more restricted program than the rest of his teammates; the premiership star has recovered well from surgery to reattach the pectoral muscle to the bone. He should be fit to play in the NAB Cup, although whether the coaches risk him remains to be seen. Ben Reid (ankle) is over the ankle injury he suffered in the grand final, Nathan Brown has had shoulder surgery and will resume contact drills in early January, while big man John Ceglar is on a modified program as the club concentrates on increasing his body size.
Who's burning: Chris Tarrant was a talking point in trade week but his testing results since arriving at the Westpac Centre have made him a standout. His results in Arizona were among the best at the club, both in endurance and strength. The developing Lachie Keeffe also appears to have taken some big steps on and off the field. The coaches have been impressed not only with the key position prospect's training but also his increased leadership.
Draftee watch: Andrew Krakouer was considered one of the coups of trade week when the Pies landed him. His WAFL form meant he was widely regarded the best-credentialed player outside the draft. Collingwood got its man, however Krakouer was unable to travel when the Pies later travelled to the US and there were some concerns he might fall behind the pack in his training. But the midfielder/forward has ticked every box the fitness staff have set, flourishing in his new surrounds.
Membership: The Pies broke through 40,000 members on December 22. With that kind of progress, it's not hard to see why the reigning premiers are so determined and optimistic of reaching a staggering 70,000 members in 2011. On the back of its 2010 success, the club is confident it will hit the mark.
After the break: The Pies need to ratify their leadership group, with the coach and board yet to give it the tick of approval. That would appear a mere formality. As for training, which resumes on January 10, the club will increase its game-simulation drills as it has just a month before testing the waters against genuine opposition.
Telstra Community Camp: Collingwood will head to Traralgon on February 16 and 17. This is just a few days after the club's first round of NAB Cup matches, so there may be some sore boys on that trip. The Pies are yet to lock in their final itinerary, but the visit to country Victoria will obviously include community-based activities, with school clinics and other town visits among the likely schedule.
NAB Cup opener: February 12 v Richmond and Carlton at Etihad Stadium.
What they say: "Now we're back from Arizona we're becoming a little bit more football-oriented in our training ... we go back to training on January 10, and it's only about a month after that that we play our first NAB Cup match. Mick's theory on the NAB Cup has always been that we will play the players that, one, are the fittest and, two, are in the best form in their training and in our internal practice games. That won't change." - assistant coach Mark Neeld.
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the club.
