Josh Daicos reveals reason behind Collingwood’s barefoot training exercise

Collingwood star Josh Daicos has spilled details on the club’s unique training method as they look to return to finals in 2025.

The Magpies are coming off a disappointing season where they surprisingly missed out on the top eight after winning the AFL premiership in 2023.

But the silver lining of missing the finals is the fact the Pies have a longer pre-season, armed with new faces and novel training methods.

Experienced pair Dan Houston and Harry Perryman are expected to slot straight into the side, while veteran forward Tim Membrey is also making an impact on the training track at his third club.

“Really disappointed to not play finals, but we’ve got this opportunity to freshen up,” Daicos told 7NEWS.

“As a group we’ve already seen so many blokes really make so much progress in the off-season.

“Training has been high energy, high intensity, it’s been great.”

But it’s after training where the Pies have turned heads with their approach. Players have been spotted walking barefoot.

“It’s an exercise that we do straight after training,” Daicos said.

“A lot of pre-season sessions, as you could imagine, are really intense. It’s a way to start that recovery process straight away.”

Meanwhile, the club have poached Charlie Gardiner from Sydney as the club’s new footy boss.

Gardiner fills the role vacated by Graham Wright and joins the club after six years at Swans.

The former Geelong and St Kilda player had been the head of football at the Swans before returning to Melbourne earlier this year for family reasons.

He remained with the club as a legal counsel, while former GWS coach Leon Cameron succeeded him as football boss.

Collingwood had reportedly considered Brisbane football manager Danny Daly, Fremantle great Peter Bell, Adelaide list manager Justin Reid and Port Adelaide’s Chris Davies before landing on Gardiner.

“I am excited to join Collingwood, a club with such rich history and passionate supporter base,” Gardiner said in a club statement.

“I look forward to getting to know the people that make up this club and build on what is already a strong and well-placed football program and hopefully contribute to future success.”

Gardiner will start the role next year, joining new list manager Justin Leppitsch.

“We are delighted to have Charlie join Collingwood, leading our AFL football department,” Magpies CEO Craig Kelly said in a statement.

“Charlie played a key role in shaping the Swans’ football strategy with proven success.”

Gardiner’s incoming arrival at the Magpies is part of an ongoing rebuild since the 2023 premiership.

Long-time recruiting boss Derek Hine departed last week following what the club described as a mutual decision to part ways, while interim football boss Brendon Bolton left for St Kilda.

Wright, the mastermind behind the 2023 premiership, quit the Magpies following a leave of absence this year and is set to become Carlton’s next chief via a handover plan with Brian Cook.

Collingwood president Jeff Brown will also leave the club at the end of the year, citing a desire to focus on his health.

On a busy day for the club, they also extended their partnership with Emirates for another five years until the end of 2029.

- With AAP