COLLINGWOOD vice-captain Jeremy Howe is set to miss the next week or two but should be fit in time for the season-opener against St Kilda, after straining his adductor in Friday night's intraclub.
The 31-year-old was forced off the ground early at the Holden Centre and underwent scans over the weekend which have confirmed a minor strain on Monday.
AFL.com.au understands Howe is expected to miss Collingwood's practice match against Hawthorn in Morwell and potentially the AAMI Community Series game against Greater Western Sydney on March 6.
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The Magpies will test him next week and aim to provide Howe with some game time ahead of the clash against the Saints at Marvel Stadium on March 18.
Howe has endured a nightmare injury run across the past two seasons, managing only 12 senior games due to a posterior cruciate and medial ligament tear in his knee in 2020 and then hamstring surgery last season.
Despite missing so much football, Howe was included in Collingwood's four-man leadership group last week, joining Taylor Adams and Darcy Moore in a vice-captaincy capacity, supporting Scott Pendlebury who will lead the Magpies for a ninth season.
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New Collingwood coach Craig McRae already needs to find a replacement for key defender Jordan Roughead in the first month of the season due to shoulder surgery and might need to find another option if Howe fails to recover in time for round one.
Mature-age recruit Charlie Dean looms as one possible option after being plucked out of Williamstown with pick No. 2 in last November's Rookie Draft, while Jack Madgen is another name, along with Will Kelly, who despite training with the forwards over the summer is understood to be considered a chance to play in defence by the coaching panel.
The Magpies are set to be without Jordan De Goey for the clash against the Hawks in Morwell after the midfielder-forward hurt his ribs in a match simulation session a week ago.
De Goey, 26, trained alongside Roughead before Friday night's intraclub and isn’t a certain start for the AAMI Community Series game on March 6, but isn’t considered in doubt for round one, despite only returning to the club a month ago.
Dual All-Australian ruckman Brodie Grundy also missed the final intraclub match of the pre-season due to illness, although he wasn’t in health and safety protocols and returned to the club for training on Monday.