COURAGEOUS Collingwood defender Tyson Goldsack has declared he wants in, setting his sights on the Magpies' qualifying final after his second game VFL back from a left knee reconstruction.

Goldsack looked good in the contest and seemed to have better timing with his aerial efforts compared to last week, but he collected just two disposals as the Magpies went down to Essendon in an elimination final by 34 points at Stannards Stadium.

Collingwood faces West Coast next Saturday night at Optus Stadium.

The 31-year-old went under the knife in March after the club's final pre-season match against the Western Bulldogs, and is poised to complete a miraculously short recovery after an injury that usually takes 12 months to return from.

GET TO THE GAME All your finals ticketing info

He said it was a much better performance, individually, than his comeback game against Sandringham.

"A lot better than last week," Goldsack told reporters.

"The body felt pretty good last week but just the game-play, reading the ball, is improving."

He played about 75 per cent of game time and wants to be recalled.

"I've done all I can in the time that we had, and we always knew it was going to be a tight turnaround, and that's why the improvement had to be so great, from two weeks ago, to last week, to this week," Goldsack said.

Draftee Nathan Murphy was left out as he battles a "niggle" but is expected to be fine for the Eagles, while Jack Madgen and Adam Oxley took part in the clash despite having featured in Nathan Buckley's 22 in recent weeks.

Madgen had some shaky moments down back and while Oxley collected 22 disposals and slotted a late goal, his delivery by foot was occasionally wayward.

Callum Brown was comfortably the best for the Magpies as he presses his case.

High-flier Jeremy Howe is expected to return after thigh surgery, for what the club says was a corkie, while Flynn Appleby is in the mix after two matches for the reserves.

Helping take down the Eagles forward line, which is expected to feature spearhead Josh Kennedy (shin) alongside Jack Darling, is Goldsack's goal.

"If I can be just a piece of the puzzle in going over there and dismantling West Coast, then I'd take it with two hands," Goldsack said.

"That's the whole reason I was aggressive with the comeback and wanted to be back for finals."

He said his knee was "really good" during the week. Returning to football has posed other challenges though.

Callum Brown put himself in the mix for a recall to the Magpies' side. Picture: AFL Photos

"It's just getting used to the movements again. Obviously you're quite tentative going into some contests, especially when you can't read the ball very well in the air, or your timing is out, so you tend to be a little bit hesitant," Goldsack said.

Despite the VFL team being knocked out of finals, Goldsack doesn't believe he needs to play in the senior side in six days to take part in September, with the Magpies guaranteed to line up in at least one more match after earning the double chance.

"No, I don't have to play (against West Coast). It'd be some very unenjoyable training though," Goldsack said.

Being back in finals is the opportunity Goldsack wants, having been part of the 2010 premiership and the Pies having ended a five-year absence from the top-eight.

"It's amazing. It's a good feeling. We had that feeling during the year, when we knew there was something going on," Goldsack said.

"For the guys who have been there in the past, it was like, 'Yeah, this is right. Everything's just falling into place. Blokes are doing what they have to do', and it left us in a pretty good position (in terms of) win-loss ratio and here we are in finals again.

"The smell is different, the grass is greener and it's a good moment.

"I'll reiterate again, I'm not picked and I want to be picked and we'll just see what happens over the next few days.

"Hopefully I'm catching the plane to Perth."