COLLINGWOOD will be without star midfielders Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell for Friday night's blockbuster against Carlton at the MCG.
After missing training on Monday, De Goey didn't train again on Wednesday due to a groin injury that hasn't recovered since the draw against Essendon on Anzac Day.
The 28-year-old is dealing with an osteitis pubis issue and is no guarantee to return for the round nine game against West Coast next Sunday.
"Unfortunately Jordy won't play. He has tight groins. We're going to back him off a little bit and hopefully that will settle down. Who knows when he is available," Collingwood coach Craig McRae said on Wednesday.
"This is the unknown. We are not sure how long it will be. The reality is it's come reasonably quickly. If it comes on quickly it may go away quickly. There is a bit of an unknown, so we will wait and see."
Mitchell was on the track but didn't train with the main group due to a foot injury that he has carried across the first two months of the season.
The Brownlow Medallist was subbed out of the Opening Round loss to Greater Western Sydney and missed the round one game against Sydney due to an ankle issue, before being subbed out last Thursday, partly due to the plantar fasciitis issue he has been managing.
"Tom won't play either," McRae said.
"Tom has some plantar fascia stuff that has been grumbling for probably a month now. It has just got to a point where we know we can do some stuff that will make a huge spike in that (if he is managed).
"Hopefully he'll be back in a week or two. He has been struggling with it a bit. We couldn't get him through today, so he won’t play."
McRae and the match committee will sit down on Wednesday afternoon to select the 23 players to face Carlton with a handful of options to consider, including a potential debutant.
Mature-age recruit Lachie Sullivan, who was added to the rookie list in February at the end of the pre-season supplemental selection period, is in the frame to make his debut at the age of 26.
Former first-round pick Fin Macrae has been in strong form in the VFL across the past month after being subbed in or out of the three AFL games to start 2024, while Oleg Markov has put his hand up for a recall in recent weeks.
"We understand what’s coming with their experience and big bodies. What presents in front of us are opportunities for some," he said.
"Oleg Markov has been playing great footy the last three or four weeks. Lachie Sullivan is a name that will get mentioned I'm sure. Fin Macrae is one of strong VFL midfielders. We'll have to wait and see what it looks like."
