Collingwood is taking Jeremy Howe's word about how he sustained the finger injury that will delay his start to the AFL season.
The high-profile recruit told the club he broke his middle finger playing frisbee, contrary to reports that he sustained the injury while filling in unexpectedly in a local T20 cricket match.
The club has asked Howe repeatedly how he sustained the injury but he's insisted the reports, supposedly backed up by witnesses, were incorrect.
"I can only believe what he tells me and I choose to do so," the club's football director Neil Balme told SEN radio.
"I've only asked him three times about it and each time he's told me the same story."
The high-flying 25-year-old, who was picked up from Melbourne at the end of last season, underwent surgery last week and will miss at least the first round of the 2016 season.
It continues a disappointing first few months at the club for the new Magpie after he struggled to get going throughout the pre-season due to a foot injury.
Balme said he had no issue with Howe playing cricket, but suggested it wasn't the smartest move given the risk of injury.
"They do have other lives. They're certainly entitled to play other sports if they want to," he said.
"In this case, I think we probably would have ... had a bit of a discussion on whether it was a good idea or not, given his circumstances."
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