Collingwood would have no issue drafting the injured Adam Treloar back into its senior team midway through its finals campaign, coach Nathan Buckley says.
However, the star midfielder still faces an uphill battle to prove his fitness ahead of the first week of finals in a fortnight's time.
Treloar has not played since a rare double-hamstring injury in round 14, where he suffered tendon damage in his left hamstring and a strain in his right hamstring in the same incident.
He has since undergone successful surgery on his left hamstring and trained with the VFL side on Thursday, though he is no chance to return for Saturday's match against Fremantle.
Although his recovery is progressing well, Buckley also warned Treloar is no certainty to return for the side's first finals match in five years the following game.
"He's still got some sessions to go," Buckley told reporters on Thursday.
"He's obviously not playing this week, and even the first final might be a stretch, but there's still a couple of weeks to go before then.
"I'm sure he'll be pretty keen to prove his fitness as early as possible, but he's got a few hurdles to come yet."
Collingwood can secure a top-four finish should it defeat Fremantle this weekend, perhaps giving Treloar his best opportunity of returning this season in the process.
Although the Pies will play in the VFL finals, Buckley does not believe Treloar needs competitive footy under his belt before returning to the senior team.
"Whoever plays, they'll play because we think we'll be a better side because of it or because it will give us a greater chance of winning," Buckley said.
"If we make the call on any player to come into the team, it'll be for the team's benefit. Adam needs to prove that."
Jeremy Howe is likely to be fit for the side's first final, but won't face Fremantle having undergone a procedure this week to drain a badly corked thigh.
Alex Fasolo will also miss, despite kicking five goals in the VFL last weekend, while Tyson Goldsack will make his long-awaited return via the reserves.
"He should be right to go," Buckley said of Howe.
"We thought he'd be right three weeks ago, though. But post-surgery, it's come along really well.
"For us to want to go and operate on a perfectly healthy thigh, apart from the cork, it shows you where we'd got to with that. The doctor worked through plenty of normal possibilities and it hadn't responded normally, but post-surgery he's come along really well."
Buckley also revealed there is a chance returning players could feature for Collingwood's VFL side in its first final, which will take place during the AFL's pre-finals bye weekend.
"You can get some fair loads in," Buckley said.
"You can train the boys at fairly high intensities and try to replicate games as much as you can, but we also have the flexibility of the first finals in the VFL.
"That's a consideration – and all of those management options come into play. But hard training and getting set … it won't be a concern."
