FIRST-YEAR swingman Brody Mihocek looms as the man most likely to replace Lynden Dunn after the defender’s season-ending knee surgery deepened Collingwood's injury crisis. 

Mihocek, 25, moved to defence last week during the Pies' win over Gold Coast and is set to continue in the role that earnt him a berth as a mature-age recruit against Essendon on Sunday.

Veteran Ben Reid is also expected to spend time in defence when he overcomes his latest knee surgeries, while Darcy Moore's AFL return next week will come in the back half.

"'Brodes' (Mihocek) went back for us late last week and that's something we'll consider making sure we maintain, that small-tall balance behind the ball," coach Nathan Buckley said.

"Darcy will come back the week after, he plays this week in the VFL. Reidy can potentially go back there for us.

"We can't replace Lynden with a Lynden because we've got different players with different strengths. We'll continue to work together to make sure we've got a six or seven that defend well and give us a bit of bounce."

"We've got a lot of faith in our back six."

Pies players put lunch on hold on Thursday to watch Buckley and Steele Sidebottom face the media ahead of the midfielder's 200th match at the MCG.

Despite Sidebottom wanting to keep the build-up low-key, Buckley said the milestone would be celebrated ahead of the clash with the Bombers.

"To be able to stop for a moment and celebrate the first 200 games of his career, we'll enjoy doing it, him not so much," Buckley said.

"(We'll) shine a light on it, internally in particular, because the way he's gone about it's been first class."

The 26-year-old's role has changed this season as Collingwood's midfield depth returns to its premiership year of 2010.

Sporting a black eye courtesy of a stray Touk Miller boot last week, Sidebottom said he was enjoying the shift.

"I've played a bit more inside footy this year, which I've loved doing. We've probably had more guys go through there than we've had the last few (years)," Sidebottom said.

Levi Greenwood was among Sidebottom's Pies teammates watching on, set to return from concussion that ruled him out of last week's trip to face the Suns.