COLLINGWOOD coach Craig McRae expects Beau McCreery, Oleg Markov and Nathan Kreuger to all be available for Scott Pendlebury's 400th game on Saturday night, but Jordan De Goey is unlikely to return against Carlton at the MCG.
The Magpies ended a four-game losing streak – the longest of McRae's tenure – by beating Richmond by 26 points on Sunday, keeping the club's premiership defence slightly alive.
McCreery hasn't played since straining his calf against Gold Coast in round 16, Markov missed the weekend to be at the birth of his first child, while Kreuger is on track to exit concussion protocols.
De Goey was a late withdrawal on the weekend due to the groin issue that has hampered the star midfielder since Anzac Day. Joe Richards replaced him in the 23 but was then removed due to illness.
Speaking earlier in the week than usual, McRae isn't confident De Goey will get to the line this weekend but doesn't believe he will need surgery at the end of the season.
"This is what I like about early press conferences. It is too far out. I'm still unsure, I really am. It probably puts him in the grey category," McRae said on Tuesday.
"(I am a) bit more certain on those three (than De Goey). They trained over the weekend and here we are on Tuesday, so there is a bit of time, but all going to plan all three will be available for Saturday."
Pendlebury was rolled out by Puma on Monday morning beneath a billboard on the corner of Punt Road and Bridge Road, commemorating a milestone where he becomes just the sixth player in VFL/AFL history to reach 400 games.
Collingwood will celebrate the 36-year-old all week inside the AIA Centre, with the six-time All-Australian to front the media on Wednesday. McRae was asked a deluge of Pendlebury-related questions and leant into the significance of the occasion for not only the former skipper but the club.
"You know me well enough that I don't really like to talk up games, but this is a big game. This is the one that we write down in our calendar and we turn up for," McRae said.
"If you're umming and ahhing about going to the game this week, Collingwood supporters, stop. Get to the game. We've got one of our greatest ever players celebrating a huge milestone against our biggest rival.
"There is a buzz, only because there is an excitement for what's to come. Everyone wants to play in this game for 'Pendles'. Guys that are maybe sore, everyone is up for this one."
McRae revealed Pendlebury hasn't put pen to paper yet for 2025, which will extend his AFL career into a 20th season, but the deal is essentially done.
