COLLINGWOOD will turn to versatile tall Nathan Kreuger to help combat an Essendon ruck combination Magpies coach Craig McRae rates as the AFL's best.
Kreuger will play his eighth senior game in the Anzac Day blockbuster at the MCG despite having just one reserves game under his belt since undergoing a right-shoulder reconstruction in January.
The 23-year-old has been one of several Mapgies battling illness over the past week and trained away from his teammates at Gosch's Paddock on Sunday.
But second-year coach McRae has no concerns over Kreuger's fitness, backing the former Geelong tall to do a job with Billy Frampton against Bombers duo Sam Draper and Andrew Phillips.
"He's right to go and he'll be in," McRae said.
"In terms of playing games, he's played one game in three months or whatever it is.
"But in terms of his running load, he's done more running than anyone else on our list.
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"He's had a shoulder injury that hasn't restricted him (in his running) and his GPS numbers have been huge comparative to other players on our list.
"So he's running fit but he just hasn't played much footy."
Draper and Phillips have been crucial to Essendon's impressive 4-1 start to the season and were influential in turning the tide against Melbourne last round.
The pair got on top of Demons ruckman Brodie Grundy - a former Magpies star - and led the Bombers to an outstanding upset of the flag favourites.
"The combination of Draper and Phillips is the best in the competition right now," McRae said.
"Draper's marking the ball, and so is Phillips, forward of the ball and we really respect Draper as a player.
"He's an enormous talent and we have to be on our game."
McRae eased fears over captain Darcy Moore and Jordan De Goey, who have battled illness in recent days but trained with Collingwood's main group on Sunday.
De Goey was a late withdrawal from the win over St Kilda last round but will return in place of suspended teammate Taylor Adams.
"Jordy's well. He's one of those that had a little sniffle, had the man-flu earlier in the week, but he trained really well today," McRae said.
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McRae said defender Nathan Murphy is recovering well after suffering concussion in the incident that resulted in St Kilda's Anthony Caminiti being suspended for striking.
Murphy and Adams, who copped a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle in round five, will be available to return against Adelaide in round seven.