COLLINGWOOD defender Matthew Scharenberg continues to dominate in the VFL, but coach Nathan Buckley gave no clear indication at his Tuesday press conference whether the backman is closing in on his first game for the season.
Scharenberg racked up 41 disposals in the VFL against the undefeated Box Hill last Saturday and picked up 34 in each of the two weeks before that.
The 21-year-old hasn't played in the AFL since the final round of 2015, but required a right knee reconstruction in November that season and missed the entire 2016 campaign.
It was his second ACL procedure after he went under the knife on his left knee in 2014.
Buckley said at the Holden Centre he expected the sixth selection from the 2013 NAB AFL Draft to break into the side eventually, but wouldn't say whether that would be against the Brisbane Lions on Sunday afternoon at the MCG.
"Shaz has put a really good block of VFL form together," Buckley said.
"Clearly getting a lot of the footy. He's played in our back half and played a little bit on the wing on the weekend.
"All he can continue to do is play the role that's expected of him in the manner that he's gone about it. His opportunities will come soon enough."
The coach was asked whether there was a specific aspect Scharenberg needed to work on.
"We're always looking for all our players to improve, but one thing I'd say to our players as much as I'd say to our supporters is we pick a 22 that we think gives us the best chance of winning a game on the weekend," Buckley said.
"If Shaz is in that, then he's in it."
Scharenberg could replace for injured wingman James Aish, who suffered a fractured cheekbone in a clash with young Hawk Daniel Howe last Saturday.
Aish, 21, will miss up to a month.
"It may be less but he had a fairly significant depressed cheekbone," Buckley said.
"The surgery went well and he'll be up sooner than later, we believe, from the knock itself. Then it's a matter of picking the right time to work him back into footy."
The Magpies have improved their scoring over the past month. In the first five rounds, they didn't kick more than 12 goals in a game.
However, in the last four matches they have booted 15 goals against Geelong and Greater Western Sydney, 13 against Hawthorn and eight against Carlton.
Buckley said his side could score more heavily but was happy with the upward trend.
"We feel like our front-half offence is improving. We've shifted our forward line-up – we've had a look at three or four different options in regards to our tall/small balance," he said.
"We've worked hard at our connection going inside forward 50 and our accuracy has improved slightly over the last month."
