Ed Allan in action during Collingwood's intraclub match on February 17, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

DRAFT slider Ed Allan has emerged as a potential round one bolter for Collingwood following an eye-catching pre-season, months after being selected late in the first round of last November's NAB AFL Draft. 

The 18-year-old has exceeded expectations across his first few months in the AFL system, completing far more work than first expected following an injury-interrupted final season of underage football. 

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Allan missed most of 2022 due to stress fractures in his back, managing only one appearance for Western Australia and five Colts games for Claremont, which led to a player who many clubs rated as a top-10 talent at the start of last year sliding to pick No.19. 

But after impressing many at Collingwood with his dedication, leadership and athleticism across December and January, Allan has been picked in the stronger side in match simulation sessions in recent weeks, including on Wednesday morning ahead of Friday's clash against Carlton at Ikon Park. 

Ed Allan is tackled by Brody Mihocek during Collingwood's intraclub match on February 17, 2023. Picture: AFL Photos

Allan has been playing on a wing this pre-season – a position owned by Steele Sidebottom and Josh Daicos in 2022 – and faced off against his other competition Trent Bianco on Wednesday.

Recruiters were divided on where the athletic 194cm prospect was best suited ahead of the draft. Some believe he will become an inside midfielder, others think playing on the outside suits his assets, while others consider him a key defender. Collingwood will start Allan on a wing and see how he develops from there. 

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Despite playing so little football last year, Allan produced a jaw-dropping moment at the Combine when he won the 20-metre sprint in a time of 2.81 seconds, dropping his time from 2.82 after his first run registered 2.85. He also finished fifth in the agility test (8.255 seconds) and top 10 for the vertical jump (68cm). 

Regardless of whether makes his debut against Geelong on the first Friday night of the season, or later in the year, Collingwood knows they have got a good one here. It is why it has signed him for four seasons – he added two more in a deal struck weeks ago – before he has even played a practice match. 

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And it is why Hawthorn knows it just missed out on a good one. Ed's father is Ben Allan, the dual All-Australian midfielder who played 98 games for the Hawks before being lured back to Western Australia to be Fremantle's inaugural captain, playing 47 games for the Dockers. Two more games and he would have been eligible to the Hawks via father-son. 

Ed and his family grew up as avid Dockers supporters, with memberships and seats at Optus Stadium. Now the family are paid up Collingwood members. 

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New skipper Darcy Moore continues to build towards round one after being hospitalised with a bone infection in December. 

The All-Australian played half of the Magpies' intraclub at the AIA Centre last Friday night, trained on Wednesday and is set to play some minutes against Carlton at Ikon Park on Friday. 

Collingwood coach Craig McRae wasn't involved in training while he recovers from recent surgery to repair a sinus issue from his playing days, but he will be involved in the match sim later this week.