Collingwood will welcome in a new season with a trip down the highway in round one of next year’s NAB Challenge.

The clash against Geelong is one of Collingwood’s three preseason games, with two more against North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs being announced by the AFL on Tuesday.

It will be the Magpies first chance to experience the rejuvenated Simmonds Stadium, and their last since a similar NAB Cup game in February, 2014.

While that clash saw the introduction of Taylor Adams and Jesse White in Collingwood colours, the February 26 game this time around may feature the Collingwood debuts of Adam Treloar, Jeremy Howe and James Aish.

Geelong are also likely to have a series of debutants worthy of making the football world pay attention.

The Cats will be desperate to impress after securing Adelaide superstar Patrick Dangerfield, Carlton’s Lachie Henderson, West Coast’s Scott Selwood and Gold Coast’s Zac Smith in the recent trade period.

While the auditions of new faces will no doubt hold value, the 2016 NAB Challenge will also reveal the development of Collingwood’s existing young list.

The opening match in Geelong will be followed by another road-trip, with the Magpies set to venture to rural New South Wales to play the Kangaroos in Wagga Wagga.

The town most famous for producing North Melbourne great Wayne Carey will host a 4:40pm start on Saturday 5 March.

It marks the second consecutive season that Collingwood have used the NAB Challenge to reach out to its country supporter base after facing Carlton at the Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo early in 2015.

However as the season quickly approaches, the Magpies will return to familiar territory in their final preseason game.

Saturday 12 March will see Nathan Buckley’s side face their final regular season audition with a clash against the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium.

All NAB Challenge matches will be broadcast live on Fox Footy.

2016 NAB Challenge Fixture

Match 1
Friday, 26 February
Geelong Cats vs. Collingwood
Simonds Stadium
7:10pm EDT

Match 2
Saturday, 5 March
North Melbourne vs. Collingwood
Robertson Oval, Wagga Wagga
4:40pm EDT

Match 3
Saturday, 12 March
Collingwood vs. Western Bulldogs
Etihad Stadium
1:10pm EDT

Click HERE to see the full 2016 NAB Challenge Fixture.