Premiership forward Bobby Hill was embraced by his Collingwood teammates after he returned to official training on Monday and began preparations to earn a senior call up later in the year.
Hill, 26, had been away from the Magpies for several months because of personal issues before making an unexpected return last Friday.
There had been fears the 2023 Norm Smith medallist would miss the entire season, and the Magpies have missed his brilliance inside attacking 50.
As he took to the field on Monday, Hill – with a bleached blond hairdo – was greeted warmly by teammates and team staff. He had a good chat with Jamie Elliott before the entire squad began preparations for Friday night’s clash against Greater Western Sydney at Marvel Stadium.
Hill, who last year signed a four-year contract extension, has been training at suburban grounds recently with a trainer, his fitness improving considerably through this period.
The manner in which he trained and worked with teammates suggested he is a better space mentally than when he took leave from the club.
While there was a large focus on Hill, the Magpies also kept a close eye on skipper Darcy Moore and fellow veteran defender Jeremy Howe. Each missed the round 1 loss to the Adelaide Crows, Howe because of a lingering calf issue, while Moore had been on the mend from a calf issue before straining a hamstring on the eve of the Crows’ clash.
Moore and Howe joined in the drills at the start of training, and are pressing for a call-up to face the Giants.
More to come
Jon Pierik is a sports journalist at The Age. He covers AFL and has won awards for his cricket and basketball writing.Connect via X or email.
