COLLINGWOOD'S medical staff will decide whether veteran forward Anthony Rocca will line up in its talent-laden VFL team against the Bendigo Bombers at Gosch's Paddock on Friday.

The Magpies won't risk Rocca if he's deemed unfit but, regardless of whether the 31-year-old is given the all-clear, Collingwood's reserves side will include senior players seeking further game time ahead of the season opener against Adelaide on March 28.

Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh confirmed the club had requested clearance for a number of its players.

"We’ll play three or four guys … we’re considering playing John McCarthy, Paul Medhurst, Anthony Rocca, Brad Dick and Anthony Corrie," Walsh said.

"We’ll talk to our doctors and medical people tomorrow morning (Friday) but we’ve asked [the AFL] for approval for those guys to play and we’ll just decide how many of those guys play after our medical check tomorrow morning."

Rocca's pre-season training has been limited by a lingering ankle injury and Walsh said he was the least likely of the five to play.

"We’ll just see what they (the doctors) think tomorrow. But we’ve applied just in case he’s right to play."

Medhurst, All-Australian last season, will get further valuable match time after a summer hampered by back and foot injuries. He has played two pre-season games.

Also of some concern for Collingwood ahead of its round one clash at the MCG is the fitness of ruckman Josh Fraser and defender Heath Shaw – who have both been suffering soreness.

"We’d expect them to be okay … we’ll just see how both those boys are tomorrow," Walsh said.

"Our gut feel is that they will be okay. They’ve had a pretty quiet week, both of them."

Walsh said forward prospect Sean Rusling was two to three weeks from resuming, while backman Harry O’Brien was still in contention to play against the Crows.

O’Brien attended the funeral of his stepfather on Thursday and will return from Perth this weekend.

"He had a full pre-season, Harry, and he didn’t have too many setbacks," Walsh said.

"Granted, he’s had a few days off, which will amount to a couple of weeks I suppose, but I think he’ll be right to resume."

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