COLLINGWOOD is considering unveiling star recruit Adam Treloar in Wagga next week against North Melbourne.
Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said the 22-year-old, who crossed from Greater Western Sydney at the end of 2015, would not play a full game even if he did make his first appearance in Collingwood colours in the second round of the NAB Challenge.
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Treloar trained on Thursday and will train again on Saturday as he works through a solid training block after a post-season operation to repair his osteitis pubis issue.
"He was coming from a fair way back … we will be making a decision based on what is best for him in the long term but clearly we think he is not far away," Buckley said after the Magpies had defeated Geelong on Friday night.
Buckley was impressed with the performance of another recruit, James Aish, who enters his first season as a Magpie after two years with the Brisbane Lions.
"Any time you change clubs and put on a new guernsey there is a bit of eagerness to make sure you make a first positive step. There was a lot to like in his game," Buckley said.
Aish had 15 disposals against Geelong and ran hard from the wing. He also laid a tackle that led to a goal to Brent Macaffer and got the Magpies moving in the third quarter.
Buckley said American rookie Mason Cox showed he had made significant progress since his last NAB Challenge appearance 12 months ago.
Cox played after Darcy Moore was rested because he was sore and kicked two goals but looked to have good hands and a leap that made him hard to match up on.
"He took his opportunity," Buckley said.
"That was his first taste as a forward and he looked like he has got some skills at the level."
The main disappointment for the Pies was mature aged rookie Josh Smith who rolled his ankle and will not be available next week after impressing early.
The Magpies hope to bring back Scott Pendlebury and Travis Cloke for the clash against North Melbourne with Buckley only ruling out Jamie Elliott and Jeremy Howe.
Meanwhile Geelong midfielder Sam Menegola will have his knee examined on Saturday after he left the ground in the second quarter in his first game with the Cats.
Geelong assistant Matthew Knights said it was disappointing for Menegola as he had impressed early.
The Cats plan to keep the team stable throughout the NAB Challenge as they try to create synergy among the group after such turnover at the end of the season.
Jimmy Bartel and Tom Lonergan may be included next week against Essendon.
"We'll have guys who will have played two and a half, might have the full three so we'll manage that over the next couple of weeks," Knights said.
"I don't think you'll see mass exodus of players in the next couple of weeks coming out of our team. I think Chris [Scott] is pretty keen to keep some continuity."
Knights was pleased with Patrick Dangerfield and Zac Smith's first games for the club and said it was great that Daniel Menzel was now in a position where his knees were not even being mentioned.
"It's about Dan's form now, it's nothing to do with his knees. He has recovered so it is about his form and his performance from week to week," Knights said.
