COLLINGWOOD will be without a host of stars for Friday night’s clash against the Hawks at the MCG.
The Pies injury woes sees premiership players Travis Cloke (ankle), Dayne Beams (knee), Dane Swan (hamstring), Ben Reid (hamstring) and Alan Toovey (groin) all unavailable for Friday night’s game.
Former Hawk Clinton Young will also miss the game with a hamstring injury, as will tagger Brent Macaffer who ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament against the Giants on Saturday.
Young midfielder Taylor Adams (finger) is also unavailable and premiership defender Nathan Brown has missed most of the year with a shoulder injury.
Collingwood could, however, regain the services of leading goal kicker Jamie Elliott for the clash with the Hawks.
Elliott has missed the last two weeks after being withdrawn late from his side’s loss to Brisbane in Round 20 with a tight hamstring but is a chance to return if he gets through training this week.
He will be put through a fitness test on Thursday.
The youngster would be a vital inclusion for the Pies who are already missing star big man, Cloke.
Elliott has kicked more goals than any other Collingwood player this year with 33 in 17 matches.
Although standing at just 178cm, the 22 year old is a genuine marking target and plays taller than his height suggest, much like Hawthorn’s Luke Breust.
Elliott is ranked second at the Pies for marks this year, averaging 5.9 per game. 1.9 of those, on average, are taken inside 50.
He can also push into the midfield and provide a rotation there, which is of particular importance to coach Nathan Buckley given the injury woes of his midfield.
Another Pie who could return is Heritier Lumumba.
Lumumba missed Saturday’s win over the Giants with a corked thigh and like Elliott, will need to pass a fitness test to return.