Bobby’s back: Star Magpie returns to training after long absence

March 23, 2026 — 9:58am

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

Save this article for later

Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime.

Premiership forward Bobby Hill has told Collingwood he is back for good 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 were fears the 2023 Norm Smith medallist would miss the entire season, and the Magpies have missed his brilliance inside their attacking 50m.

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 preparing for Friday night’s clash against Greater Western Sydney at Marvel Stadium.

Advertisement

Magpies’ football department boss Charlie Gardiner said Hill was keen to do the work required to return to the senior team.

“Yeah, he has expressed a desire to get back in and put his head down and work hard,” Gardiner said.

“But, as I said, it [his progression] may not be linear. We will continue to support him and, hopefully, he can continue to keep taking steps forward.”

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.

Advertisement

The manner in which he trained and worked with teammates suggested he is in a better space mentally than when he took leave from the club.

He joined in the opening 75 minutes of skills work on Monday, but did not partake in match simulation. What was clear is that he has not lost any of his electric speed.

“He has done a bit of training, but he’s really just at the start line. He’ll have a big block of training ahead of him, but we’ll be guided by our medical team and our high-performance team,” Gardiner said.

“As to timelines [for a senior recall], we don’t have any timelines right now. We are all just thrilled he’s happy. He’s got a smile on his face. He’s enjoying and has energy for training, which is excellent.”

Advertisement

Hill also took time out for personal reasons last season, and returned in time for the finals. But the Magpies said he had not done enough training to justify September selection.

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. Both missed the opening two games, Howe because of a lingering calf issue, while Moore was recovering from a calf issue when he strained a hamstring on the eve of the Crows’ clash, which the Magpies lost.

Moore and Howe joined in all drills and match simulation, with Gardiner confirming they are firmly in line to face the Giants.

“Yeah, we’d expect them to be available for Friday night,” he said.

Advertisement

You have reached your maximum number of saved items.

Remove items from your saved list to add more.

More:

AFL 2026

Collingwood Magpies

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.

Click here to read article