COLLINGWOOD coach Craig McRae could only laugh in awe as thousands of Magpies fans turned out for a mundane training session in June.

The ladder-leaders are the AFL's biggest team, with Saturday's clash against Gold Coast at Heritage Bank Stadium already sold out.

Expectations are the Suns will break their home attendance record at the Carrara venue, set in 2014, in a match that could shape their finals destiny.

McRae is hoping Magpies supporters will outnumber the Gold Coast faithful in the stands.

Car parks were full and there was not a spare spot on the sidelines to watch training as Collingwood trained at their AIA Centre headquarters on Friday.

"It's amazing," McRae said.

"Just chuckling to myself - it's an away game against the Gold Coast and we've got 3000 people at training.

"We don't lose sight of it. Our fans are incredible.

"I didn't mention it enough after the game on the weekend, just how important they are for our results and outcomes and spurring us on."

Experienced midfielder Tom Mitchell will make the trip north despite suffering some neck pain.

The 2018 Brownlow medallist hurt himself in the gym this week but trained on Friday and will be right to line up in the midfield against Gold Coast young guns Matt Rowell and Noah Anderson.

All-Australian defender Brayden Maynard will also take on the Suns despite having hurt his shoulder late in last Sunday's thrilling two-point victory over Adelaide.

In a boost for Collingwood, high-priced recruit Daniel McStay will return via the VFL after suffering an infection to a finger he had operated on in April.

McRae is confident if McStay survives the reserves hit-out the forward will be back for Collingwood's match against the Western Bulldogs next weekend.

Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew is wary of Collingwood, particularly Brownlow Medal favourite Nick Daicos.

"He's almost untaggable. I haven't really seen it done successfully," Dew said.

"I think a couple of teams have tried to target him and it kind of feeds his motivation. You've just got to get that line right.

"There's 21 other players you've got to be concerned about as well."

The Suns (7-7) could jump inside the top eight if they upset Collingwood in one of the biggest matches in six seasons under Dew.

With a tricky run home, Gold Coast will need to claim some unexpected scalps to book a maiden finals berth in the club's 13th season.