Collingwood’s first AFL team sheet for the year includes a mix of existing stars and exciting young recruits.

Captain Scott Pendlebury will travel to Canberra to face the GWS Giants on Thursday, but is joined by first-timers Jaidyn Stephenson, Sam Murray, Brody Mihocek and Flynn Appleby.

Pendlebury’s inclusion marks his first game in Black and White since a finger injury prematurely ended his 2017 season in round 17. The skipper is fully fit, and was impressive in Collingwood’s intra-club clash last Thursday evening.

For 12 Magpies included in the travelling party, a clash with the Giants will be the second experience facing serious opposition after taking part in AFLX a fortnight ago in Adelaide.

Brayden Maynard and Steele Sidebottom led the Magpies to a win over West Coast and loss to Adelaide in the 20-minute format, and are both expected to take on the Giants in a more traditional sense at UNSW Canberra Oval.

The recent round robin also introduced the AFL world to 2017 No.6 draft pick Stephenson. A flashy forward / midfielder, the 19-year-old will have another chance to impress as he strives for early season selection.

Collingwood’s previous owner of the No. 35 guernsey – Sam McLarty has been named, alongside rookie defenders Appleby and Mihocek.

As expected in pre-season games, there are a number of notable absentees. Adam Treloar will sit out the clash against his former side, while Jeremy Howe, Jamie Elliott, Alex Fasolo and Darcy Moore edge closer to a return to action.

The Magpies will have an eight-day break between Thursday’s clash with the Giants and a JLT Week Three game against the Western Bulldogs in Moe.

JLT Community Series Week Two
GWS Giants v Collingwood
UNSW Canberra Oval
7.10pm EDT

Collingwood
B: Lynden Dunn, Brody Mihocek, Flynn Appleby
HB: Jack Crisp, Adam Oxley, Tom Langdon
C: Josh Smith, Taylor Adams, James Aish
HF: Travis Varcoe, Chris Mayne, Tim Broomhead
F: Callum Brown, Mason Cox, Brayden Maynard
Foll: Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom
Int (from): Jarryd Blair, Ben Crocker, Josh Daicos, Tyson Goldsack, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Sam McLarty, Sam Murray, Tom Phillips, Ben Reid, Matthew Scharenberg, Jaidyn Stephenson, Josh Thomas
NEW: Flynn Appleby (19, Greater Western Victoria U18), Brody Mihocek (25, Port Melbourne), Sam Murray (20, Sydney), Jaidyn Stephenson (19, Eastern U18)