COLLINGWOOD midfielder Scott Pendlebury has returned to training on Monday a little over a day after an alleged king hit left him unconscious.
The 21-year-old sustained cuts to his face and damage to his teeth after he was allegedly hit from behind in an unprovoked attack at approximately 1.30am on Sunday in the Victorian country town of Lakes Entrance.
He was kept in Bairnsdale hospital under observation before being released on Sunday afternoon.
The Magpies vice-captain, who returned from the club's high-altitude camp in Arizona the Wednesday before the alleged assault, was happy to be back training.
"It was good to put the weekend behind me, get back into the first session after returning from Arizona, and move forward," Pendlebury told collingwoodfc.com.au
"I felt good and I got through the whole session."
"Now I just want to focus on training up until Christmas, and then having a break, before getting back into it in 2010."
A 20-year-old Lakes Entrance man was charged with intentionally causing serious injury, recklessly causing serious injury and unlawful assault following the incident and will face Bairnsdale Magistrates' Court in March.
POLICE have charged a 20-year-old Lakes Entrance man over a king hit on Collingwood star Scott Pendlebury in the early hours of Sunday morning.
The alleged offender, who has been charged with recklessly causing serious injury, intentionally causing serious injury and unlawful assault will appear in Bairnsdale Magistrates' Court in March.
In a statement released this morning, the Magpies confirmed Pendlebury - who was out with his brother Kris and friends - was leaving the Central Hotel in Lakes Entrance when he was hit from behind at approximately 1.30am.
The 21-year-old was knocked unconscious after his head hit the pavement and was taken to Bairnsdale hospital.
Tests cleared the classy midfielder of any major injuries but he suffered damage to his teeth and cuts to his face as a result of the incident.
Pendlebury was let out of hospital this afternoon and will return to Melbourne on Monday to see the club doctor.
WINTER Olympic gold medallist Alisa Camplin has joined Collingwood's seven-member board of directors.
Camplin, who won an aerial skiing gold medal at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games before claiming a bronze medal at Turin four years later, is a senior executive at IBM and contributes to several sporting administrations including the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC), the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, the Australian Sports Foundation and is the Deputy Chair for the Australian Sports Commission.
"When the opportunity was there to combine somebody of Alisa's talents as a member of the AOC (Australian Olympic Committee), the Australian Sports Commission and as an Olympic veteran we jumped on it," Magpies president Eddie McGuire said.
"Throw in the fact that she is a senior executive at IBM and understands the corporate world better than any sportsperson I have ever met."
"Alisa has been somebody who has been a backroom contributor of the club for a number of years. Not only as a paid up member but also as somebody who has spoken at corporate events for us. She actually trained on the Lexus Centre floor with our players as part of her Olympic preparations."
"She is a recently retired Olympic athlete. We now have somebody who knows how to train here at the highest level and understands the team aspects."
A Pies supporter since the age of five, Camplin said she would bring a diversity of opinion to the club and believes a female’s perspective is important to be present at board level.
"To understand and work across all levels of an elite sports system gives me a unique insight into what's going on in sport in Australia and around the world and what is required to win at the highest level," Camplin said.
"Watching our last two grand final campaigns overseas, where we didn't get over the line, has made me all the more determined to get that premiership within the next two years. I am a very results driven lady."
Camplin fills the position vacated by Sally Capp who will move to London at the end of the year to serve as Victoria’s first female Agent-General.
COLLINGWOOD recruit Luke Ball says it's a 'huge relief' to have been drafted by the Magpies.
The former St Kilda skipper had sought a trade to the Pies but a deal wasn't able to be struck during trade week which prompted him to nominate for the national draft.
There was widespread speculation that Melbourne, Essendon or Brisbane would take Ball before Collingwood's first pick in Thursday night's draft but they all opted for younger players, leaving the Magpies free to get their man at pick 30.
The 25-year-old watched the draft on television at home with former teammate Matt Maguire who was taken by the Brisbane Lions.
Ball admitted to experiencing the same emotion he felt when he first entered the draft in 2001.
"I thought I wasn't nervous, but as soon as the telecast came on and they started reading out a few names I felt like I was 17 again," Ball said.
"When (Collingwood recruiting manager) Derek Hine called out my name there was a bit of relief and then I sat around with my fingers crossed for Matt as well because it would of been disappointing if he didn't get another chance. Really rapt for him as well, he's worked super hard...for him to get another chance is great."
The hard-nut midfielder said he didn't harbour any feelings of 'bitterness' or 'resentment' towards the Saints.
"I had eight fantastic years at the club ... but I guess after eight years I basically felt like I needed a fresh start and a fresh opportunity," he said.
"That's a pretty simple way to put it, isn't it? Maybe when the dust settles a bit I'll be able to explain it a bit better but I'm grateful to Collingwood for giving me an opportunity."
Ball was in and out of the St Kilda side this year and became frustrated with his lack of game time but said he held no ill-feeling towards Saints coach Ross Lyon.
"I've got absolutely nothing but respect and thanks for Ross and the work he put into me in his time there at the club," Ball said.
"I absolutely wish him and the club all the best for next year and the future."
Ball said he was 'supremely confident' that his best football was ahead of him.
"Looking back I've probably only really ever done one full pre-season, if I'm going to be honest about it," he said.
"So I'm really confident that, provided I want to do the work, which I'm pretty sure that I do, that I've still got some good footy left in me."
Ball, who said he will remain life-long friends with many of his former teammates, will now join his new teammates in Arizona for high-altitude training.
COLLINGWOOD defender Shannon Cox has retired from AFL football at the tender age of 23.
Magpies football operations manager Geoff Walsh said Cox had lost the motivation to play the game.
"Shannon returned from the post-season break and decided that he no longer had the desire and hunger to commit to the demands of AFL football," Walsh said.
"We fully expected Shannon to be part of our 2010 list however we respect his decision to retire and wish him well."
Originally recruited from WAFL club South Fremantle, Cox played 25 games for the Pies after being promoted to the senior list at the end of 2006.
TonyK
Cibbuano
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