COLLINGWOOD vice-captain Taylor Adams has suffered a complete rupture of his adductor and won't return to full training until January, while Jordan De Goey is expected to be fit for the semi-final against Fremantle despite injuring his shoulder on Saturday night.
Adams missed the final three games of the home and away season with an adductor strain but returned in time for the qualifying final clash against Geelong, before being substituted out of the game in the last quarter with another groin injury.
The 28-year-old underwent scans on Sunday that confirmed the club's initial fears, ruling the midfielder out for the rest of the season with a serious groin injury after tearing his adductor off the bone in the six-point loss to the Cats at the MCG.
MEDICAL ROOM Check out the full injury list
De Goey also underwent scans on his shoulder on Sunday after injuring his AC joint in the opening quarter.
Those scans have confirmed a grade one sprain, which prevented the 26-year-old from training at the AIA Centre this afternoon and will ensure he has a light week on the track ahead of the clash against the Dockers.
De Goey returned early in the second quarter and was one of the most influential players on the ground, finishing with 26 disposals, nine tackles, eight clearances and two last-quarter goals.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae and the match committee inside the AIA Centre will need to find a replacement for Adams.
Former Cat Nathan Kreuger replaced Adams for the final 15 minutes of the game after being named as the medi-sub, while Trent Bianco, Finlay Macrae and Callum Brown were all included in the 26.
Macrae played against Carlton in round 23 – his second game of 2022 – but was squeezed out of the 23 when Adams returned. The second-year midfielder collected 28 disposals and laid nine tackles against Carlton in a VFL elimination final on August 28.
After playing three games in the first four months of the season, Bianco returned against Adelaide in round 18 – when Adams missed due to concussion – and played five games in a row before being dropped for round 23. Bianco finished with 23 touches and a goal against the Blues at Victoria Park.
Brown has been in the squad for most of the season but only managed six senior appearances for 2022, including only one since round nine. The out-of-contract midfielder was another to impress in the VFL final, collecting 27 disposals, six tackles and a goal.
Mid-season recruit Josh Carmichael wasn't included in the squad on the weekend, but is another player who will be considered given his eye-catching start to life in the AFL.
The 22-year-old has played in six games since being selected with pick No.9 in this year's NAB AFL Mid-Season Rookie Draft, kicking two final-quarter goals against Essendon in round 19 in front of 72,000 people after being activated as the medi-sub.
Ollie Henry isn't a like-for-like replacement for Adams, but has played more senior football than the names above and could be another player that is considered against the Dockers.
The 20-year-old, who is yet to sign a contract extension beyond this season, has featured 15 times in 2022 and kicked four goals against Fremantle in round 10 after entering the game as the substitute, although he hasn't played a minute of senior football since round 17 – Henry has been the unused sub twice since then, including against Carlton in round 23.
After missing four months due to a shoulder reconstruction, Collingwood recalled Kreuger on the weekend for just his sixth AFL game and first since he injured his shoulder for the second time in 2022 on Anzac Day.
Kreuger replaced Adams in the final quarter and could be included in the 22 against the Dockers to provide Collingwood with another target inside 50, with Mason Cox only used for 46 per cent of the game – the lowest of any player not subbed in or out.
