COLLINGWOOD may turn to youth rather than recall key forward Travis Cloke for Saturday's clash against Carlton at the MCG.
Cloke, who was dropped after round four and hasn't returned, is being considered for selection after an improved VFL performance last weekend.
But coach Nathan Buckley said the 29-year-old would be competing with potential debutants Tom Phillips and Ben Crocker when the match committee sat on Thursday afternoon.
"With our profile at the moment … our first cabs off the rank may be first-gamers," Buckley said.
"There's a couple of spots up for grabs there and we've had Tom Phillips and Ben Crocker perform really well in the VFL.
"It could be young guys or it could be more experience, but we'll pick the best 22 that we think is going to play the best brand of footy that we need to play for four quarters."
Phillips, who dethroned time trial king Steele Sidebottom at the start of his first pre-season last year, enjoyed his best VFL game last week with three goals.
Crocker has likewise shown he can be a goalkicker at VFL level, staking his claim as the Magpies look to replace midfielder Taylor Adams (knee) and defender Tom Langdon (ankle).
Buckley hosed down concerns over captain Scott Pendlebury, who left training early on Thursday after running laps, saying the light run was part of the midfielder's "individualised preparation".
He said the skipper had been touch and go right up until the morning of last week's clash against West Coast with lower back soreness, but was ready to face the Blues.
The coach confirmed Adams would miss a second week after failing to prove his fitness at Thursday's training session, running one lap before leaving the track.
When considering if Cloke would be elevated to face the Blues this week, Buckley said the decision needed to take into account both the short-term benefit to the team and Cloke's long-term path back to form.
"When we talk about Travis Cloke and the situation he's in, it's not talking about round seven, it's about getting him back to playing his best footy for the rest of his career really," the coach said.
"His performance against Essendon at Victoria Park was just average, but he really improved with his contest and his work-rate last week.
"We'd like him to put a block of really solid work together and come in over-ready in more ways than one."
Meanwhile, Buckley said he had reached out to Damien Hardwick during the week but accidentally called the Richmond coach's wife after being given the wrong number by the AFL Coaches Association.
Buckley said it felt like the right time to check in as the Tigers struggle at 1-5 and face fierce scrutiny in a season that had high expectations.
"I'm sure there are things going on at Richmond that we speculate on, but we wouldn't have a clue," Buckley said.
"You just hope that he's getting the support from (football manager) Dan Richardson and (CEO) Brendon Gale and the players, as I know I would if I was in a similar situation here."
