COLLINGWOOD has suffered a big blow with veteran defender Jeremy Howe hurting his left calf against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday.

Howe limped from the field early in the second term of the Marvel Stadium contest and was immediately taken to the rooms for observations.

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The high-flying defender was later seen with ice wrapped around the affected area and the Magpies confirmed he could be set for a stint on the sidelines.

"We believe he (Howe) has nicked his calf," Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said after the nine-point win.

"We will let that settle and see how that pans out, but we think it's a soft-tissue injury."

Howe underwent minor thigh surgery earlier this year during an injury interrupted pre-season, but has still managed to feature in all 13 matches for the Magpies in 2019.

A stint on the sidelines for Howe could see injury-plagued defender Matthew Scharenberg earn a recall to Collingwood's side after he produced an excellent individual performance for the Magpies' VFL affiliate against Footscray at VU Whitten Oval on Sunday.

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Scharenberg collected 33 disposals and pulled down 16 marks in his third game back from a third knee reconstruction and Buckley said the 23-year-old would be considered for Saturday's clash against North Melbourne.

"He (Scharenberg) is a quality player," Buckley said.

"He is an AFL standard player and whether it is next week or down the track this year, I think he can help us."

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Underrated defender Tom Langdon remains sidelined for the Pies with a knee problem and Buckley admitted he is still trying to find the best way to balance his back six.

"It is just a matter of getting the balance right and seeing who is up and about," he said.

"We are still exploring to see where we can improve our football and to have Shaz (Scharenberg) up and about is a great luxury for us."