COLLINGWOOD will be without father-son recruit Darcy Moore for at least a month after scans revealed tendon damage to his hamstring. 

The promising Moore, who has been in good form in the VFL, injured his hamstring on Sunday against Essendon. 

Magpies director of football Neil Balme told the club's website the Pies would take a cautious approach with Moore to ensure he didn't develop any long-term issues.

"It's not as bad as it could have been but we'll have to be very careful to make sure that this doesn't become that's chronic for him. It's quite sad, he's been playing magnificent footy," Balme said.

In better news for the Magpies, midfielder Steele Sidebottom is setting his sights on returning from a broken thumb in round seven when Collingwood plays Richmond.

"My injury is getting better every day … best case would probably be Richmond," Sidebottom told the club's website. 

"That's what we're aiming for, but at the same time I'm probably not going to be rushing things back as well." 

Sidebottom still has to visit the surgeon next Monday for final X-rays to determine whether his bone has healed properly.