Collingwood could put prospective father-son recruit Darcy Moore through a comprehensive apprenticeship should the Pies commit to the talented youngster as expected.
 
Moore, 16, will finish year 12 next year but is not eligible to be drafted until the 2014 NAB AFL Draft.

Under AFL rules, should the Pies commit to the son of 172-game Magpie Peter, an arrangement could be worked out by which Moore plays in the Pies' VFL team in the year before he is drafted.

It's an added bonus for the Pies, who could use the year to get a headstart on developing the lanky 196cm, 85kg key forward.

"You can see the [Jack] Viney situation at Melbourne where he's been able to come in and work and do bits and pieces and play, and he's in year 12," Collingwood national recruiting manager Derek Hine told AFL.com.au.

"The fact that Darcy will be out of year 12, if he's coming under strong consideration by that period of time, will be massively beneficial, particularly given his size."

In order to play Moore in the VFL in 2014, the club would have to commit to him ahead of the season and then meet with family and the AFL to outline a training program.

It would have to take into consideration his responsibilities to the AFL-AIS Academy - he has already been accepted into the first year of the elite program - TAC Cup and NAB AFL Under-18 championships, if he is involved. 

The Pies are mindful of not putting additional pressure on the emerging youngster, as they have been with this year's father-son prospect James Stewart.

But they have remained in occasional contact with Moore and his family, and have spoken with them about what help they can offer even at this early stage.

"We're just going to outline how we can potentially help him with maybe some skill correction, core development, whatever it may be," Hine said.

"We'll have a bit of a medical and just make sure that everything's in the right place and basically help where we can."

Moore, who attends Carey Grammar, played two games for the Oakleigh Chargers in the TAC Cup last month after overcoming a hip injury.

Although the Pies haven't officially committed to him at this early stage - and likely won't until closer to his drafting year, if they choose to do so - rival recruiters consider it a formality if his development progresses as expected.

"You'd think with any sort of natural maturity and improvement he'll likely be one that the Pies can put in the bank in a couple of years time," a leading AFL recruiter said.
 
"He looks really naturally talented. In his first game at the under-16s he took some fantastic, strong contested marks and got around the ground really well.
 
"He's a great athlete for a tall boy at that age and he looked really natural playing up forward.
 
"They threw him down back and even on the wing in the second and third games, which probably dented his confidence a bit, but he still showed some really good signs.

"At the minute he looks really good, but they'll sit back and hope he comes on over the next couple of years."

Hine admitted the Pies were excited by what they had seen so far.

"The early indicators suggest he potentially could be [good enough]; we'll just have to wait and see," Hine said.

"One thing that I'm really pleased with is the way he comes at the game. He's a very strong competitor and he's a nice size.

"He's got some deficiencies in his game like all the kids but the advantage is we can potentially address them and assist him to address them, more importantly."

Peter Moore played 249 AFL games - 172 for Collingwood and 77 for Melbourne, meaning only the Pies have access to him under the father-son rule, should they elect to draft him.

Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.