COLLINGWOOD is pleased with the progress important big man Ben Reid has made since returning from Germany for treatment on the soft tissue injuries that have stalled his career.

Midfielder Clinton Young, however, has started his hamstring rehabilitation again after suffering a number of setbacks over the pre-season, according to football manager Neil Balme.

Reid was sent overseas last month to be treated by the doctor of European soccer giant Bayern Munich after he suffered another innocuous calf injury.

The 25-year-old was restricted to just four games last season because of calf, quad and hamstring issues and he had been one week away from resuming full training when his latest setback struck in a warm-up exercise.

Balme didn't offer a timeline for Reid's availability to play, but said the club was encouraged by his progress five weeks after returning from Germany.

"He's coming along well and he won't be all that far away," Balme told the club's website.  

"Because he had that time out of the program, he's got to work through the program … he's going to start his program late.

"(But) we're very pleased with the way he's going."

Reid will be one of a number of key players missing for the Magpies' intra-club match on Thursday night, with Young (hamstring), Brent Macaffer (knee) and Jarrod Witts (shoulder) also unavailable.

Balme said the club would take 37 fit players into the hit-out at Olympic Park, exactly one week before launching the pre-season competition against Hawthorn at Aurora Stadium.

He said Young, however, had suffered "a couple of minor recurrences" with his troublesome hamstring and had needed to start his rehabilitation again.   

"He's just getting into a serious running program, so he should be fine, but it will be a little while before he plays," Balme said.  

Balme said the Magpies were taking a cautious approach with prized young tall Darcy Moore, who was recovering from a toe issue, and the club wouldn't rush second-year midfielder Matthew Scharenberg (knee).