COLLINGWOOD has settled on its replacement for injured forward Dan McStay, with coach Craig McRae revealing Billy Frampton will come into the Grand Final side to face Brisbane on Saturday. 

Frampton, 26, is in his first season at the Magpies after crossing from Adelaide in the off-season. He has played 15 games this year, predominantly in defence, including the Pies' last three games of the home and away season to cover for injured skipper Darcy Moore. 

However, he went out of the side when Moore returned for the qualifying final against Melbourne. 

"I'm comfortable to say to the footy world that Billy Frampton will play," McRae told SEN radio on Wednesday.

"He gets an opportunity to come in. I told him yesterday afternoon and we’re excited for him. He'll be good for us.

"He can play forward for us and go back where need be, and play on the likes of (Joe) Daniher and others, and he can play second ruck, so he gives us good flexibility in the team. Excited for the young lad."

He said Frampton's inclusion gave the Pies the ability to move their other talls around, including Jeremy Howe and Mason Cox. 

"For Bill, it gives us a little bit more flexibility," he said.

"If Bill plays back, we can move Howey (Jeremy Howe) forward. We’ve shown that card before, and also in the ruck, if we want to play Mason (Cox) a little bit more forward, we can play Bill in the ruck.

"Normally it is one in, one out, but in this case we’ve got some flexibility with that."

Tough midfielder Taylor Adams has already been ruled out after failing to recover from a hamstring strain, leaving the substitute the main selection query hanging over the Pies before teams are revealed on Thursday night. 

Small forward Jack Ginnivan was the substitute in each of the first two finals.