> Watch Josh Fraser front the media before Friday's training session

VETERAN Josh Fraser says he will use his 200th match to try to cement a spot in Collingwood's line-up ahead of the finals series.

Fraser was reluctant to discuss his future beyond 2010, but knows he must perform the role expected of him in Saturday's clash with Hawthorn.

The 28-year-old has come into the side at the expense of the suspended Leigh Brown.

“Well, I'm in the best 22 for this week,” Fraser said when asked what he had to do to keep his place in the Collingwood side.

“I'm not looking to kick five or six goals, but I'm looking to play the role that's asked of me ... the coaching staff will measure that and they will deem whether I've done enough.”

The ruckman would not be drawn on whether he thought he would be at the club next year, and said any contract negotiations were his manager's responsibility.

“I want to get through the next month of footy and hopefully play in a premiership,” he said.

Fraser’s future has appeared uncertain for much of the second half of this year.

Out of contract at season’s end, his last senior appearance was in round 12 when the Pies drew with Melbourne.

Since then he has battled away in the VFL and while his form has been good he has been unable to break into the AFL side with coach Mick Malthouse preferring the Darren Jolly-Brown combination.

But Fraser said he refused to let the situation get him down.

“I’ve tried not to make it about me,” he said.

“There’s been a lot of talk about being stuck on 199 [matches] and am I going to get to 200 and all that, but I had an obligation to the VFL [side] ... to play well.

“Things open up. No side ever stays the same. We’ve had changes each week and different players have come in and out, so I was always confident and hopeful that an opportunity would present itself.

“I wanted to be in the best form I could be when that came.”

The former No.1 draft pick said while he was happy to reach the 200-game mark, it wasn’t a figure he had set his eyes on and was an achievement he was more likely to look back on with pride when his career was over.

“For me it was never about a 200th - really it was about performing well enough and giving myself a chance to get back into the side,” he said.

“I never really thought about whether or not I’d make the 200th this year but I’m really thankful for the opportunity to get back in the team, and on the verge of finals hopefully I can perform well and play some finals.”

While Fraser has been selected this week, other experienced team mates will try to earn a recall in Collingwood’s VFL side.

And the big man warned critics against dismissing their chances.

“I think you find people write them off,” Fraser said.

“All of sudden you’re playing VFL and [people think] your career’s at the crossroads but I think people severely underestimate the character of the players in that locker room.

“Shane O’Bree, in and out the side, goes back and performs as a leader each week in the VFL ... Tarkyn Lockyer, Paul Medhurst is the same, Leon Davis last week, so [they’re] very proud blokes and it’s a real slap in the face at times that they’re spoken of with such disregard, I reckon.”