Jordan De Goey in action at Pies training on February 5, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

COLLINGWOOD'S Jordan De Goey has shrugged off any injury concerns from the weekend, returning to training on Monday as he continues to build his fitness base ahead of round one.

The 25-year-old was forced to finish training early on Saturday after copping a nasty blow to his ribs during match simulation at the Holden Centre.

De Goey returned to Collingwood's football program on January 21 after the conclusion of a well-publicised legal matter following an incident in a New York nightclub in late October.

With only 32 days between now and the Magpies' season-opener against St Kilda at Marvel Stadium, every day counts for the dynamic midfielder-forward who finished fourth in the 2021 Copeland Trophy after being unleashed in the engine room in the second half of the season.

Collingwood players are seen at a training session on February 5, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

De Goey trained with the main group for the first half of Monday's session, then completed a conditioning block on the athletics track before being put through a repeat efforts block alongside Jack Crisp, Trey Ruscoe and Isaac Chugg, under the guidance of new physical performance boss Jarrod Wade.

Captain Scott Pendlebury wasn’t on the track on Monday with the club providing the six-time All-Australian midfielder with the day off after he trained on Saturday.

The 34-year-old has undergone two bouts of surgery to repair a fractured bone in his left leg since the end of July, but returned to full training last month and is set to play in the pre-season practice matches ahead of a round one return.

Key defender Jordan Roughead went under the knife last week to repair an ongoing issue with his right shoulder that has hampered him across the pre-season.

Jack Crisp takes a drink at Collingwood training on February 5, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

The 31-year-old is expected to miss at least the first month of the season, opening the door for mature-age recruit Charlie Dean to step straight out of the VFL and into the AFL if he can perform over the next few weeks.

Dean has impressed those inside the Holden Centre across the pre-season after the Magpies plucked him from Williamstown with pick No.2 in the rookie draft – making the 20-year-old the 15th consecutive winner of the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal to graduate to an AFL list – and will now challenge Jack Madgen and Will Kelly for Roughead's spot in Collingwood's back spot.

PLAY AFL FANTASY Pick your team NOW

While recently re-signed rebounding defenders Isaac Quaynor and Brayden Maynard – both inked three-year deals over the summer – haven’t missed a beat across December, January and now February, the same can be said for veteran Jeremy Howe who has completed the full program.

The 31-year-old has endured a nightmare injury run across the pandemic, managing only 12 appearances in the past two years due to nasty knee injury in 2020 that required his posterior cruciate and medial ligaments to be repaired, before hamstring surgery ruled out all but eight games last year.

Collingwood's Jeremy Howe in action during a training session on February 5, 2022. Picture: AFL Photos

While the first quarter of Super Bowl LVI unfolded in Inglewood, California, American tall forward Mason Cox continued to trial the prescription sunglasses he wants to wear in games this year due to the career-threatening eye injuries he has suffered since the 2018 Grand Final.

It is understood the league still needs to approve the eyewear, with Collingwood expected to submit the paperwork in the coming weeks.

Collingwood will continue to ramp up its preparations for the new campaign when they play an intra-club under lights at the Holden Centre on Friday night, before facing Hawthorn in Morwell next Friday ahead of a final tune-up against Greater Western Sydney in the AAMI Community Series on March 6.