Nick Daicos at Collingwood training in 2021. Picture: AFL Photos

YOUNG gun Nick Daicos has made a statement on day one of Collingwood's pre-season, blowing away the field to win the 2km time-trial on Monday.

The 19-year-old beat young midfielder Fin Macrae and mid-season recruit Josh Carmichael, while new signing Tom Mitchell wasn't far behind.

Daicos produced one of the finest debut seasons of all time in 2022, winning the Rising Star award after playing all 25 games for the Magpies.

With the next batch of first-round picks only hours away from learning their fate at Monday night's NAB AFL Draft, last year's No.4 pick showed he has put in the work across his first off-season in the AFL.

Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine noted the teenager looks to have put on some bulk since the end of the season and expects him to spend some more time in the midfield in 2023.

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"I would have thought he's going to get some midfield exposure," Hine told AFL.com.au's NAB AFL Draft Countdown on Monday.

"The boys were back in today and it looks like he's put on a little bit of size, so I imagine that exposure will only increase."

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Carmichael, wearing Jordan De Goey's No.2 training guernsey and sporting a bleached blond haircut, burst out of the blocks in the test before Daicos took control.

Macrae also put his best foot forward early after only managing two senior appearances despite strong VFL form in 2022.

Mitchell, along with the three other players Collingwood recruited during the trade period in Dan McStay, Bobby Hill and Billy Frampton, also completed the day one test at the AIA Centre.

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Will Kelly also produced an impressive run after earning a one-year contract extension last month.

Senior players Scott Pendlebury, Jeremy Howe, Steele Sidebottom, Josh Daicos, Darcy Cameron and John Noble were part of the senior group that reported to training a week ahead of schedule.

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After managing only two VFL appearances in 2022, Charlie Dean showed no signs of the foot issues that ruined his first season in the AFL.

Collingwood currently holds pick No.16 in Monday night's draft, which is expected to move back a spot or two following father-son bids on Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher.