Click here to watch Nick Maxwell's press conference on CTV.
HARRY O'Brien's pre-season fitness suggests that opposition sides should prepare for an even greater impact from the Collingwood defender in 2011.
The Magpies returned to training with a 2km time trial around Melbourne's Olympic Park on Monday morning and it was O'Brien who left the usual midfield runners in his wake.
The club enjoyed a slightly longer break over the Christmas period but O'Brien, a key member of the Pies' premiership backline last year, showed he had put his holiday time to good use.
The 24-year-old was the first across the line in the time trial after dashing for home with more than 400m remaining.
Steele Sidebottom, Dale Thomas, Scott Pendlebury, Brad Dick and Dayne Beams were next.
Chris Tarrant and Nathan Brown, who missed Collingwood's high altitude camp in Arizona because of shoulder surgery, also ran well and were among the top 10.
Captain Nick Maxwell was among those who didn't run and instead completed his own cycling session behind closed doors.
He later said his teammates were refreshed and looking forward to the NAB Cup.
"It's exciting. We're just looking forward to getting back into it," he said.
"I'm just going to say the same as every club and say that everyone's flying.
"Every club and every player seems to have had their best pre-season ever and everyone's ahead of where they were the year before, so as I said I think we'll just wait a month and let our footy do the talking."
Maxwell was not worried about complacency, with new recruits Tarrant and Andrew Krakouer - who have been among the best performers this summer - ensuring the entire squad remained focused ahead of the 2011 campaign.
He said he was confident Collingwood could again win the flag but realised it would need to lift the bar in order to repeat last season's heroics.
"You've always got to change, you've always got to keep improving," Maxwell said.
"I think if you stand still, other teams go past you. There will be subtle changes to our game plan and things that we do differently but I think that will work itself out as we go through."
