COLLINGWOOD captain Scott Pendlebury is all but certain to regain his place in the Magpies' round one lineup after he was a late withdrawal from the club's JLT Community Series clash with Richmond in Moe on Saturday.
Pendlebury started to warm up with teammates on Ted Summerton Reserve an hour before the match but pulled out prior to the start after experiencing Achilles tightness.
Despite the absence of their skipper, Collingwood were able to secure a seven-point win over the Tigers.
Pendlebury felt soreness in his Achilles the night before the game and the Magpies decided to take a no-risk policy on him, coach Nathan Buckley said.
"The skipper's good," Buckley said.
"I didn't know anything about his Achilles basically 80 minutes before the game.
"He went and had a run around on his own and he assures us it's nothing to worry about.
"It was precautionary as much as anything."
The Magpies are hopeful Levi Greenwood (hamstring) and Jordan De Goey (quad) will be fit to face the Western Bulldogs in the club's season opener at the MCG on March 24.
Jamie Elliott (ankle) will also be racing the clock to be fit for the season opener, while key recruit Daniel Wells is unlikely to get to the line because of a lingering calf problem.
"Levi was a bit tight in the hammy and Jordy has had a thigh complaint and he would tell you he was right to go but the medical staff were keen to hold him up for another week," Buckley said.
"He'll get two weeks of full training in and he should be right to go."
Defender Ben Reid made an outstanding return in his first pre-season game of the year, after having surgery to repair the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee in the off-season, collecting 26 disposals and hauling in 18 marks against the Tigers.
Buckley said it was pleasing to see Reid get through unscathed but indicated the All Australian defender would be even better placed once he gets some familiarity with his fellow backmen.
"He had quite a bit of the ball but he hasn't played in that backline as much as some of our boys in match simulation in training," Buckley said.
"He's still got a way to go… and it was great for him to get through so that was positive."
Buckley said the Magpies were still considering whether to elevate rookies Mason Cox and Henry Schade to the senior list.
The Magpies already have a nominated rookie spot available, while the club is likely to place defender Ben Sinclair onto the long-term injury list following recent hamstring surgery, meaning two spots are up for grabs.
When not playing as a genuine forward, Cox looks the natural sidekick to Brodie Grundy in the ruck, while Schade appears well positioned to claim the second tall-defender spot alongside Reid.
"We've got contingencies around that with Ben Sinclair (hamstring surgery) to go on to the long-term injury list," Buckley said.
"We've clearly got decisions to make about whether rookie list players are in that round one mix or not."
