Collingwood held its first practice match encounter in the lead-up to the 2011 season when the Magpies travelled to St Helena to contest the Westpac Cup on Tuesday 14 December.
The Magpies took on the boys team from Glen Katherine Primary School and the girls team from Malvern Primary School at Anthony Beale Reserve.
The Westpac Cup is a junior football program involving over 1500 primary schools around Victoria. It operates in 260 districts and 32 zones and incorporates all types of schools including private, catholic and government schools. More than 30,000 boys and girls, from grades five and six, take part.
The school that wins the knockout competition each year then has the chance to take on the Collingwood team, and in 2010 the Glen Katherine Primary School boys and the Malvern Primary School girls won that honour.
In perfect conditions with hundreds of students looking on, the players and students enjoyed the mismatches with everyone but Jarryd Blair having a laugh.
Luke Ball donned the umpiring kit and awarded several controversial 50 metre penalties which resulted in direct goals for his teammates.
"It was a great day for it and the kids and players had a lot of fun," acting skipper Scott Pendlebury said after the two matches.
"I didn't get much of the footy but its still early December so I should be right by March.
"The girls paid close attention to Daisy and kept him quiet for most of the afternoon."
Pendlebury and his teammates will train for one more week before they take a break over the holiday period.
Harry O'Brien meets some of his younger fans.
Always a fan favourite, Dale Thomas signs 2010 premiership memorabilia.
The players pose with Malvern Primary School.
Tom Hunter in full flight down the wing.
The Magpie stand alongside the boys from Glen Katherine Primary School.
