JOHN Anthony, one of the forgotten men of Collingwood's pre-season, will return to senior action on Friday.

Anthony had shoulder surgery following the 2009 campaign and the Pies have nursed him through the summer with the aim of having him ready for the season proper.

Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said the spearhead was on track after resuming last week.

"Jack had a run around in our VFL scratch match last week," Walsh told collingwoodfc.com.au.

"He played three quarters of the game against the Bullants and he's now going to play against Richmond (at Visy Park on Friday) … he's progressed well enough in his comeback."

Troubled by a shoulder injury at stages late last season, Anthony was sent in for surgery for what turned out to be more than a standard clean-up.

"He had the ligament tightened," Walsh said.

"It (the shoulder) was something that was probably going to keep popping out if he didn't [have the surgery], so he just had the joint tightened up."

Anthony has spent much of the summer in rehabilitation and trying to rebuild muscle around the joint.

While the 22-year-old will have his first taste of senior football for 2010, several of his teammates will enjoy a rest from the Pies' below-strength side for its NAB Challenge clash against Richmond.

Alan Didak, Leon Davis, Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan, Heath Shaw and Dale Thomas are among the big names set to miss.

"We're hoping to play most of the boys three out of four weeks [in the NAB Cup], so … there'll be half a dozen or so guys that would miss a particular week," Walsh said.

American rookie Shae McNamara has been named in the senior squad - which may yet be trimmed - while ruckman Josh Fraser, who played close to three quarters in the club's NAB Challenge win over Adelaide last Friday, will again line up.

Fraser is in the box seat to support Darren Jolly in round one after Cameron Wood injured his finger against the Crows.

"He's going to miss probably six or seven weeks," Walsh said of Wood's injury.

"He had his surgery on Sunday to reattach his tendon, so he’ll be out for that period."

In better news for the Pies, Jarrad Blight (back) and Sean Rusling (hip) are set to play in the VFL against the Bendigo Bombers on Saturday after overcoming minor injuries.