COLLINGWOOD youngster Darcy Moore says he's a chance to return from a "freakish" toe injury in time to make his Magpies debut in the NAB Challenge.
Moore, who suffered the ligament complaint last month, won't play in Thursday night's opening clash against Hawthorn, but could feature later in the pre-season competition.
After the Hawks, the Pies face Carlton (March 16) in Bendigo before taking on the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium on March 21.
"I'm a bit of a sniff, but it's just session by session at this point," Moore told SEN radio station.
"We haven't really looked further than the next week. I haven't taken a step backwards in my rehab.
"I just had a bit of a freakish (injury) … no break, just a bit of a sore ligament.
"We've got five or six weeks until round one, so we can afford to take time and really get back running on top of the ground, which is what I was doing pre-Christmas."
Moore has been groomed as a key defender at Collingwood, but the versatile 200cm draftee can play at both ends of the ground.
The 19-year-old said he's relished the opportunity to pick star utility Ben Reid's brain during their stint on the sidelines, with Reid working his way back from a series of soft-tissue problems.
"In recent weeks having Ben Reid around, we've both been in rehab together, and he's been invaluable both with rehab and then on the field we play a similar role," Moore said.
"I've had experience playing at both ends and so has he, obviously he's one of the best in the comp at it.
"He's been really good to chew his ear off and we're pretty much at the same point now with our rehab so we're doing a lot of running together and a lot of training.
"He's been a great resource."
After spending more time working out in the gym, Moore has significantly improved his upper body strength ahead of his debut season.
The No.9 draft pick could bench press about 60kg when he arrived at Collingwood, but has added about 40kg to the bar since.
It should hold him in good stead for matches and the son of dual Brownlow medallist Peter said he is keen to start his Magpies career under coach Nathan Buckley.
"Obviously we've got a long way to go, I haven't played a competitive game yet, but I feel like I've got a really strong relationship with him," Moore said.
"I've gotten heaps out of our interactions every time during pre-season and I feel like his philosophies and a lot of his ideologies about the game – but also about life – I feel like I see eye-to-eye with him in certain important ways.
"With any influential figure in your life I think you need to see eye-to-eye on certain things and I feel like Bucks has a good ability to do that with this playing list.
"There's a really good feeling down there at the Westpac Centre and very, very strong vibes.
"So we're eagerly awaiting the start of the season just like all the fans."
Twitter: @TravKing_AFL
