Beams had 17 possessions and Sidebottom 19 as the Magpies rolled Essendon in the NAB Cup semi-final at Docklands on Friday night.
“They’re a chance. Beams has played quite well in the last two games he’s played. Steele’s first game was okay tonight too,” Caracella said.
“We’ve played 32 or 33 players so far in the NAB Cup, so all those players have some chance to play.”
Caracella also said veteran Anthony Rocca is still a valuable part of the Magpies forward line, despite the emergence of several young forwards over summer.
Rocca has not played in the NAB Cup as he recovers from injury while John Anthony, Ben Reid and Chris Bryan have spent time up forward. Anthony starred in Collingwood’s win over Essendon in the NAB Cup semi-final, booting seven goals.
But Caracella, who took the reins as coach Mick Malthouse worked from the bench, said Rocca’s place in the Collingwood forward line was not under threat.
“I think Anthony Rocca has got something those players haven’t. He’s a pretty big unit. When he gets down there he is one marking option you need a big strong body to play on,” he said.
Caracella said John Anthony could establish himself in attack after he was drafted by Collingwood in 2005 as a player who could play at either end.
“He played quite well last year at full forward, probably in the last seven or eight games. You wouldn’t have thought he played full-back for most of his (junior) career,” Caracella said.
“I suppose he hurt his neck two years ago and didn’t play for a year as well. If he can keep doing that all year we should be in good stead.”
But Caracella said Anthony could still be used occasionally in defence if the situation called for it.
“I think he can do both but the way he played tonight up forward he did quite well and you would be silly to put him down back when we’ve got Nathan Brown down there and (Simon) Prestigiacomo,” he said.
“We’ve got quite a few talls who can play back like (Nick) Maxwell. Ben Reid can play forward and back as well. We’ve got a luxury in that department.”
Dream Team watch – Steele Sidebottom scored 70 Toyota AFL Dream Team points in Collingwood’s win over Essendon
