COLLINGWOOD skipper Darcy Moore will be racing the clock for the club's season opener, with the Pies releasing a return timeframe of 3-5 weeks for his calf injury.
The Magpies will play St Kilda on March 8 - in five-and-a-half weeks' time - with Moore's injury having taken longer to recover from than first anticipated.
He is currently in modified training, and is set to return to running next week.
When he suffered the injury two weeks ago, the skipper had initially been sidelined for a couple of weeks.
Collingwood has a hefty injury list, but a host of players are set to return to full training in the next few weeks.
Veterans Jeremy Howe (calf) and Dan McStay (hamstring) are two weeks away, with the latter having now completely overcome the shoulder injury he sustained last year.
Dan Houston (hip) has returned to non-contact work, and is only 1-2 weeks from full training, as is fellow rebounder Isaac Quaynor (hamstring), who was running strongly on the sidelines last Friday.
The most serious injury concern is Beau McCreery, who underwent foot surgery over the off-season.
At a 4-6 return timeframe, the tenacious forward is a chance to miss the opening game or two of the premiership season as he rebuilds his training loads.
Lachie Sullivan rounds out the injured group with his own calf complaint, but is 2-3 weeks from a return.
Collingwood has superstar Nick Daicos and reigning best and fairest Darcy Cameron participating in the upcoming 2026 AAMI Origin match, before the Pies take on Greater Western Sydney in a match simulation on February 20.
They will then face North Melbourne in the AAMI Community Series on March 1 before facing the Saints at the MCG a week later.