The Magpies’ intra-club match at Gosch’s Paddock on Friday morning, featuring almost their entire list, was their most intense of the summer.
And Medhurst’s performance was among the biggest pluses for coach Mick Malthouse and his coaching staff on a day when there didn’t seem to be any negatives.
Josh Fraser (knee) and Dale Thomas (calf), both restricted in recent weeks, each played stints although Fraser only played a quarter as planned, while Anthony Corrie - who had been in a moonboot a fortnight ago - also played.
Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said the main thing was the club had got through without sustaining any fresh injuries.
Forward John Anthony was the only big-name player not to play, although the sharp-shooter isn’t far off resuming from a shoulder injury.
“He probably won’t be ready to play until half-way through the NAB series,” Walsh said.
Medhurst, an All-Australian in 2008, was the dominant player on the ground.
Last year he struggled with an ankle problem, which in turn affected his confidence, before he was eventually dropped ahead of his side’s preliminary final loss to Geelong.
But on Friday he looked more like the Medhurst of old.
He booted five goals as he led and marked with purpose and generally looked dangerous whenever he went near the ball.
“Paul played a good game today,” Walsh said.
“He got plenty of the footy and was pretty sharp. He marked well and he would have been pretty pleased with his hit-out.
“He’s had a pretty good pre-season so he would hope and expect that he’d be able to find a bit of the footy like he did.”
New recruits Darren Jolly and Luke Ball also enjoyed their moments in Friday’s scratch match.
Both played in the yellow team which, despite featuring big-name players in its midfield such as Dane Swan, Scott Pendlebury, Heath Shaw and Steele Sidebottom, was comprehensively beaten by the rival blue team.
Jolly only played a half before being rested, while Ball impressed as he gained more possessions than the previous week.
One passage of play in the second quarter whet the appetites of the small gathering of Pies fans on hand, as Jolly palmed the Sherrin to his new teammate who hit a target across the forward 50.
Just seconds later, Ball’s slick hands set up a scoring opportunity for Swan who was streaming into goal.
Shaw’s midfield run continued as he spent periods on the ball, while defenders Harry O’Brien and Ben Reid looked in good touch.
Leon Davis was also lively, as was Alan Didak.
