COLLINGWOOD captain Darcy Moore will return in Saturday night's clash against Geelong at the MCG, while the Magpies ponder how to replace Dan McStay in attack.

The All-Australian defender missed the 41-point win over Essendon on Anzac Day due to the ear issue he sustained in the win over Brisbane on Easter Thursday.

Moore suffered a lacerated earlobe that required stitches and vertigo symptoms that resulted in him being sidelined.

The 29-year-old trained fully on Tuesday at the AIA Centre and has been cleared to play this weekend after being symptom free for the past three days.

McStay will be sidelined for at least the next six weeks and potentially up to two months after scans on Saturday morning revealed a moderate grade medial collateral ligament strain after he was subbed out of the third quarter on Friday.

The former Brisbane spearhead had the same knee reconstructed at the end of 2023 after rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament at training, months after straining the MCL in his right knee in the preliminary final win over Greater Western Sydney.

Veteran Mason Cox has played two of the first seven games of the season, replacing Brody Mihocek in round two and Tim Membrey in round six when both had their workloads managed due to soreness.

The 34-year-old has spent almost as much time in the ruck as forward under Craig McRae and is the experienced option to replace McStay. He kicked two goals from 11 disposals and 19 hitouts in the VFL win over Essendon over the weekend.

Draftee Charlie West will also come under consideration for a debut after kicking three more goals at ETU Stadium to take him to 11 from his first four VFL appearances.

The 194cm key forward was named in the extended AFL squad for the first time in Gather Round and has been discussed in match committee, following an eye-catching first summer.

Small forward Lachie Schultz is also on track to return against Chris Scott's side after missing three games with a hamstring strain.

The former Docker hasn't played since he won the Richard Pratt Medal after a best on ground performance against Carlton in round four.

Schultz strained his hamstring at training a few days later and missed trips to South Australia and Queensland, as well as the Anzac Day blockbuster.

Collingwood could go smaller against the Cats and not replace McStay with a like-for-like option, with Billy Frampton an option as a back-up ruck to support Darcy Cameron.  

After starting 2025 with a poor performance in western Sydney, Collingwood has won six on the trot for just the third time under McRae.