WITH their season delicately balanced at three wins and five losses, Scott Pendlebury has declared the Magpies' clash against West Coast in Perth a must-win game for the club.

Speaking from Melbourne airport on Friday morning, midfielder Pendlebury said his teammates would be silly if they saw it any differently.

"I think the whole playing group knows that we don't want to be 3-6," he said.

"It is a big game for us. It's a good chance to get away – we travel well together – so I'm looking forward to the challenge and the whole group is as well.

"We want to come back 4-5 and be raring to go against Port Adelaide. We want to get over there and get the job done. The confidence in the group is pretty high at the moment so as long as we go out there with that mindset it should hold us in good stead."

With his team once again preparing for the absence of several key players – Dale Thomas, Paul Medhurst, Anthony Rocca, Travis Cloke and Alan Didak will all miss – Pendlebury at least forecast some respite on the injury front next week.

"I suppose if we had have played in Melbourne this week he would have been a strong chance, but with the travel we just thought it was a bit of a risk," he said of Didak, who has been restricted to just four games this season by a hamstring injury.

"So he stayed back, but he should be right for next week."

Medhurst and Thomas are also considered good chances to resume despite failing fitness tests ahead of Saturday's match.

Josh Fraser has overcome his knee injury to take his place in the side and Pendlebury welcomed his return.

"The No. 1 ruckman coming into any side strengthens it and Josh's form over the whole season has been pretty good, so it's good to get him back," he said.

With pressure building on the back of heavy losses to St Kilda and Carlton, Pendlebury said it was a good time for the Magpies to escape the cauldron of Melbourne and concentrate solely on their opponents.

The ongoing injury crisis has robbed Collingwood of any consistency in its line-up from week to week, but Pendlebury refused to use that to justify the side's recent form.

"I suppose it is a little bit frustrating at times when we can't put our best side on the park, but I think [our depth] is one of our greatest strengths," he said.

"Last year in that final against Adelaide we had a lot of key players out and we were still able to perform really well, so I don't think it's anything to do with personnel.

"Everyone on an AFL list is ready to play."

Young onballer Jaxson Barham is the travelling emergency for the Pies.