Injuries haven’t been kind, but Will Kelly is expected to play a big part in Collingwood’s future. Photo: AFL MEDIA

After experiencing one of its most tumultuous off-seasons in living memory, Collingwood heads into season 2021 with a clean slate.

Not only did 2018 grand final trio Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson and Tom Phillips all get traded out in spectacular fashion, as well as fan favourite Atu Bosenavulagi, but long-time president Eddie McGuire announced he would be stepping down at the end of this season.

A couple of months later, that plan was brought forward to February after McGuire’s fateful “proud day” comments following the release of the “Do Better” report, which found systemic racism had existed at the club for years.

There’s rarely a dull moment at Collingwood, but even by its own standards, this has been an incredibly challenging and difficult period.

But the flip side of all that is that a new beginning awaits the Magpies this year, and the following four youngsters look primed to play a part in their bid to remain a top-eight side.

OLIVER HENRY

The brother of Geelong defender Jack Henry, Oliver was Collingwood’s top pick from last year’s draft (No.17 overall) and it hasn’t taken him long to show why.

The 18-year-old key forward has been so impressive on the track over the summer that he is pushing really hard for a debut in round one, and looks set to provide aerial support to the likes of Mason Cox and Brody Mihocek.

“He’s got really good marking ability, really good speed, so he can reset the forward line really well, a really good leap for his size,” Collingwood assistant coach Hayden Skipworth told Footyology.

“We’ve been able to play him deeper at times if our big guys are off [the ground] and we’ve been able to play him up the ground if our big guys are on, so he gives us some real flexibility.

“His ability to play roles has been really good, his ability to learn structures really quickly has been really good, which has probably allowed him, with his athletic profile, the opportunity to play against Geelong and Richmond [in practice matches]. It’s up to him now whether he can grab those spots, which I’m sure he will.

“Ollie can play above his height, which is ideal, and gives us real flexibility to be able to use him in those taller roles at times.”

MARK KEANE

After performing so well in scratch matches last year, the Irishman was handed his debut in round nine against Fremantle.

It was the only senior game he has played so far, but the soon-to-be-21-year-old has been progressing so well over the pre-season that he looks on course to become a regular member of the best 22 as a running, intercept defender, akin to the likes of Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe.

Unfortunately for Keane, he snapped a tendon in his finger in late January and required surgery, meaning he is in doubt for round one, but it would be surprising if he didn’t feature in the early part of the season.

“His ball use, especially his kicking, is very good for a guy that hasn’t played the game for very long,” Skipworth said.

“He can pull his kicks late, so if a team is zoning, he can switch through the zones. We’re really excited at the prospect of where he can get to with his footy and hopefully this year is a big step in the right direction.

“He reads the ball in the air off the boot really quickly and he’s able to intercept-mark.

“He’s so raw, obviously not growing up playing AFL, but … we see him coming in and being able to impact for us.”

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WILL KELLY

This poor kid cannot buy a trick.

His first year in the system was ruined by a serious hamstring injury that required surgery, his second year was derailed by a dislocated elbow which also had to be operated on, and he looks set for another lengthy stint on the sidelines heading into his third season after breaking his collarbone against Richmond on Friday night.

But once he finally overcomes his injury worries, the son of 1990 premiership player Craig Kelly promises to play a big part in the Magpies’ future plans, and he showed in his solitary game against Hawthorn last year that he could become an exciting addition to the forward line at some stage this year.

“He’s certainly made the progression on the training track, he’s always had that high-work-rate competitiveness, now he’s added some leading craft, [he is] reading cues, his aerial [work] has got better, his marking contest has got better, so we see him definitely impacting this year for us,” Skipworth said.

“I see him taking that next progression like [Josh] Daicos and Isaac Quaynor did last year for us. He’s been on the list for a couple of years, although he hasn’t had the experience as far as games played, he’s been in the program and been able to work on his game.”

Having had such a small taste of senior footy before it being abruptly cut short in 2020 has left Kelly champing at the bit to finally get back out on an AFL ground again.

“He can’t wait. He’s had a good off-season, a good pre-season … I see him as that real hybrid guy, he’s got some good height, good athletic profile, works really hard so he can play most of our forward roles because his athletic profile is really sound,” Skipworth said.

CALEB POULTER

The 18-year-old is another youngster who might surprise this year after being taken at pick 30 in December’s national draft.

Having had the likes of star midfielders Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom and Taylor Adams as mentors to learn from over the summer, Poulter’s development has been fast-tracked so much so that he appears to be a very good chance to make his debut at some stage in 2021.

“He’s done most of the pre-season with those guys, he’s spent some time at half-back, so he’s got [Jack] Crisp, [John] Noble, [Isaac] Quaynor that he’s done some stuff with as well,” Skipworth said.

“He’s been certainly in and around that midfield group with those guys learning off them and ‘Crispy’ off half-back especially.”

Unsurprisingly, Poulter still has some bulk to put on his frame, but he’s a very talented midfielder and at 192 centimetres, looms as an awkward match-up in years to come.

“He’s a rangy type of wingman, he’s deceptively tall, played a bit of half-back as well,” Skipworth said.

“He’s a left-legger, understands the game at a high level, he uses the ball at a high level, he’s got a slighter frame so he’d be more one of those outside roles initially in his career who can go half-back or half-forward.

“We see him with his ball use and that left foot being able to come in and hopefully develop through the year – maybe not the first half of the year, but [he will] certainly [debut in] the back half of the year if he keeps his progression ongoing.

“His ball use on that wing has been really strong for a first-year guy throughout pre-season and he’s pretty good around the ball around the stoppage stuff knowing what to do as well.”