FOR THE first time in Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley's coaching career he has close to a full deck of cards to play.
On Tuesday he told the assembled media the Magpies had 43 of their 45 players fit and available to play over Easter.
The injured pair Tom Langdon and Ben Sinclair had not played yet this season, while two of the 43 would have to play VFL before being considered for senior selection.
That duo is Jordan De Goey, who could not be picked in the senior team due to a club-imposed suspension, and Daniel Wells, who needs match fitness despite losing weight in recent times and looking fit.
On the positive side, dangerous forward Jamie Elliott will play his first senior game since round 23, 2015, after kicking five goals in the VFL, and Matt Scharenberg has played well in the VFL in the past fortnight as he improves his form and confidence after two knee reconstructions.
"We're starting to build, and there's more competition for spots week on week," Buckley said.
It's a stark contrast to the same time last season when Buckley was about to name his 30th, 31st and 32nd players for the season to represent the Magpies after the train derailed in round one with an 80-point loss to the Sydney Swans.
It was a season from hell on the injury front, with trauma injuries increasing 136 per cent on 2015, eroding gains made on getting soft tissue injuries under control.
Now with that period behind it Collingwood heads into round four on the back of a hard-fought one-point win to the Sydney Swans confident that the grunt it showed at the end of 2016 remains.
Beyond Travis Varcoe's one-week suspension after round one – which proved costly against Richmond the following week – the Magpies have only made unforced changes, and played just 25 players in the first three rounds.
If such luck can hold on the injury front, the next four weeks against St Kilda, Essendon, Geelong and Carlton could define the Magpies' legitimacy as a finals contender.
St Kilda and Essendon are teams similarly placed to the Magpies in most people's minds when it comes to making finals, and with similar early-season form lines.
The Saints defeated Collingwood for the first time since 2010 in round three last season, while the Magpies have lost just once to Essendon on Anzac Day since 2009.
Both have scored more points than the Magpies. and only Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney have created more scoring opportunities than St Kilda this season, with its profligacy in front of goal costly.
So, as Buckley said, the Magpies need to get more bang for their buck inside 50.
Collingwood has won its past two games against Geelong – making it five wins from seven against the Cats since the 2011 Grand Final.
It then meets Carlton in round eight, which it should beat based on exposed form.
Such history might bear little relevance to the actual results this season, but it underpins that none of its upcoming opponents are unbeatable.
And a reduced injury list will make assessments more viable, even if the likes of Elliott and Wells will need time to hit top speed.
The next month will be very telling for Collingwood.
AFL Exchange podcast
Why are coaches spurning the latest info from umpires? Catch up on the week in football with the latest episode:
