TWELVE MONTHS ago, Collingwood’s John Anthony was told to abandon all forms of training after seriously injuring his neck.

On Sunday, he came into the Magpies side at the last moment after Ben Reid was ruled out with general soreness, and put aside any doubt the potentially dangerous injury had hampered his chances of an AFL career.

Thrown into attack after being earmarked as a defender during his first two years at the club, he kicked two goals before being troubled by cramp after encountering intensity he described as “another 50 per cent up” from the VFL.

After the Pies' 44-point win, the 20-year-old was pleased his daunting first game was out of the way – and that the memory of the scary injury that involved the words “blood clot”, “spinal cord” and “vertebrae” was finally behind him.

“It's been a long time. Last year was a bit unlucky, but they stuck with me and I stuck with it, and hope I repaid the faith,” he told collingwoodfc.com.au.

“If they continue to have faith in me, I'll continue to show my work. Hopefully I'll get the opportunity to do that in the future.”

Anthony said he “withered away” last year after being ordered to shelve all forms of training and focus on recovery.

After a pre-season spent closely working with conditioning coach David Buttifant, he believes his fitness is on the improve.

“It's not very common you get a neck injury,” he said.

“You look at (Carlton’s) Nick Stevens, who had one as well, and it becomes a matter of how you take it.

“You have to show the club and the people that do have faith in you that you're fair dinkum. They give (me) an opportunity, and I took a grasp at that.”

Anthony said he didn't mind the late call-up into his first game, and quite enjoyed “flying under the radar” as a last-minute inclusion.

“I don't want to get all the publicity and all the media. I just really enjoy playing my football. To get my debut now, I'm just really glad for that,” he said.

He also said he'll hold Sunday's game as a fond memory, having replicated what he did in the pre-season clash with Adelaide in Dubai by booting a goal with his first kick.

“My eyes lit up when I saw the ball and I just thought there was a bit of space, but I didn't want to be selfish at the same time,” he said.

“I just happened to put it through the middle and I was rapt, but most importantly it was about trying to do the team things and put pressure on their defenders.”

Anthony is another one of Mick Malthouse's prized project players, who the coach says he will “keep playing if he keeps promoting himself”.

“John fell into the game because Ben Reid fell out of the game, and whether John was ready or not, that's another young kid that we've earmarked for the back half,” Malthouse said.

“He was thrust into the forward line and he kicked two goals, so he's done something right.

“Like any young kid, he's got a long way to go. But we'll stick with kids that keep promoting themselves, and we'll keep playing them.

“It's a big jump up from missing a whole year of football and then coming in and playing probably one or two games at VFL level and then coming in to AFL football. It's a great introduction.”