MICHAEL Voss insists Carlton is more focused on getting its own game firing ahead of finals, rather than spoiling Collingwood great Scott Pendlebury's 400th-game party.

In Saturday night's blockbuster at the MCG, Carlton can ruin Pendlebury's night, and strike a hammer blow to Collingwood's own finals hopes with a win.

But amid a recent run of stuttering form, Voss conceded his charges needed to get moving if they were to hit September in form.

"Even when you're an opposition coach you can stop for a moment and admire great players in our game and he's certainly been that for the game as well as for the Collingwood Football Club," Voss, who played for Brisbane in Pendlebury's first game back in 2006, said.

"And I guess the best way we can pay our respects is making sure we bring our absolute best version.

"The larger motivation for us is about trying to get the best out of ourselves. To be fair, if there's some other things along the way that come with that then so be it but they're certainly not our centre of focus. 

"Our job is to try and get the best form we possibly can at this stage of the season and we get to play against a really good opposition and we want to play well. 

"We want to get that momentum that we want to finish the season with, and that's sort of where we're really eyes in on and so our focus hasn't changed off that."

Voss backed his midfielders to respond after lowering their colours against Port Adelaide, and indicated they would give Collingwood star Nick Daicos "some attention".

Star forward Harry McKay will return after almost two weeks in the spotlight.

Carlton escaped with an official reprimand for the "short delay" in removing McKay from the field after a head knock against North Melbourne.

But when McKay became a late withdrawal from last Friday's 14-point loss to Port Adelaide due to illness, the AFL decided to investigate the issue further - before ultimately ticking off the Blues' handling of the situation.

"I think he's been fine. Obviously the AFL were quite entitled to ask the question," Voss said.

"Our doctors worked really closely with the AFL - they seek some information around the week and the timelines around the processes that we needed to be able to follow, we did that. 

"And then obviously, at the back end of it, it's we've got the all clear and he's fit and healthy to play. 

"So other than the Saturday it hasn't been too much of a disruption."

Voss wouldn't elaborate on the illness that had ruled McKay out.

"I don't get too bogged down into what he has to deal with," he said.

"I mean, I'll leave that to the doctors and it's obviously privileged medical information and so we keep it at that."