MATURE-AGE recruit Charlie Dean has emerged as a genuine chance to step straight out of Williamstown and straight into Collingwood's round one team to face St Kilda next month.

The 20-year-old has put his hand up to fill the vacancy left by Jordan Roughead in the Magpies back six, after the veteran key defender underwent a shoulder operation last week, ruling him out of at least the first four rounds of 2022.

With Mark Keane choosing to turn his back on another season in the AFL to remain in Ireland, Dean is understood to be ahead of Jack Madgen to play alongside All-Australian Darcy Moore, with Will Kelly another option if the Magpies choose to use him in defence instead of attack, where he has trained this pre-season.

Dean kept a unique streak alive when Collingwood selected him with pick No.2 in last November's NAB AFL Rookie Draft, becoming the 15th consecutive recipient of the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal to graduate to an AFL list after winning the award given to the best young player in the VFL.

New Collingwood head of strategy and backline coach Justin Leppitsch said Dean has made a strong impression on the football department since arriving at the club at the end of November, before the Sandringham Dragons product performed strongly in Friday night's match simulation at the Holden Centre.

"Charlie is in the frame, absolutely," Leppitsch told reporters on Friday night.

"His form in not just pre-season training but then when we've had moments of match simulation have been good.

"No pressure on the kid, though, he's in the growth part of his career. He might play one or two good quarters, then one where he struggles. He's in that growth phase, so we can't put too much pressure on him. But his upward trend has been very good."

While Dean took another step forward in his pursuit of a round one debut on March 18, Jordan De Goey didn’t play in Collingwood's extended match simulation session.

The 26-year-old copped a knee to his ribs in match simulation last Saturday and has taken longer than first thought to recover, with the club expecting him to be fit for the AAMI Community Series game against Greater Western Sydney at Giants Stadium on March 6.

Leppitsch all but ruled the game-breaking midfielder-forward out of next Friday's practice match against Hawthorn in Morwell, but doesn’t think it will affect his availability for round one, despite only re-joining the main group in late January.

"Jordy is still out with those ribs," he said.

"I think it's two weeks, from all I know, so it's not bad. He will be touch and go (to play next week) from what I understand, but probably not.

"He's pretty fit. Based on talent and the prep he's had (he will be available for round one). I know he hasn’t been with us enough, but he's been doing a lot of work in the background."

Veteran defender Jeremy Howe didn’t finish the session after hurting his adductor, although the new vice-captain isn’t considered to be in doubt for round one. 

Captain Scott Pendlebury surprised many around the competition – and even some inside the Holden Centre – when he indicated on Wednesday that 2022 might be his 17th and final season, despite the 34-year-old inking a two-year contract extension after protracted negotiations late last season.

Leppitsch, who joined Craig McRae's new-look coaching panel over the off-season after 12 months away from a football club for the first time since 1992, wasn’t buying Pendlebury's suggestion, believing the six-time All-Australian could play beyond the length of his new contract.

"He could be Tom Brady like and do another five or six; he's that sort of player; he looks after himself really well," he said.

"I hope he plays as long as he can. We'll need his experience here for as long as he can mentally and physically can handle it. That will be up to him I think."

Star ruckman Brodie Grundy didn’t feature on Friday night due to illness, but the two-time Copeland Trophy winner hasn’t entered health and safety protocols is expected to be back at the club on Monday.

American Pie Mason Cox put his hand up for a round one recall after managing only seven games in 2021, plucking plenty of marks as he looks to lock down a spot inside 50.

The Magpies will head to Morwell next Friday to face the Hawks in a game that is slated to involve six 25-minute periods at this stage and is set to include every available player on each list, with the first three or four periods to be a first-choice side.