IT MAY HAVE taken almost five years, but Collingwood defender Ben Reid will finally tick off the first of what he hopes is many personal milestones against Fremantle on Friday night at Patersons Stadium.

As the 22-year-old prepared to board Thursday morning's flight to Perth, he admitted it had taken him longer than the average player to reach the 50-game mark.

"It's my fifth year now so I'm averaging about 10 a year," he joked at Melbourne Airport.

But the premiership backman credited a move from attack to defence for ensuring he was able to reach that goal in the first place.

"It's a little milestone, which is good to tick off, but hopefully there are plenty more to come."

Reid, drafted as a forward, moved into a defensive role in 2009 and developed his skills in the VFL.

He improved to the point where he played 21 senior games - including the premiership - last year.

This year, he's been mentioned as a potential All Australian defender; something he "doesn't really listen to", and instead remains focused on ensuring he is set for each week's role.

"Thanks to Scotty Watters and Max Hudghton and those types of guys, and Mick [Malthouse] giving me confidence to go down there and play my role each week, and I'm just happy to be playing in the back six at the moment and in a good side," he said.

Reid is no stranger to injuries, having played the second half of last year's premiership win with a broken leg, but even he admitted he was concerned when he began to cough up blood after landing heavily on his back against the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night at the MCG.

He was subbed out of the game in the third quarter and had scans to rule out internal damage this week, but was cleared to play.

"I thought I was very badly winded, and then I got up and felt a bit worse for wear," he said.

"They took me down to the rooms and advised me it wasn't the greatest idea to go back on.

"[Coughing up blood] made me think that made me think something wasn't quite right.

"The docs checked it out and they thought it would be best for me to stay off the ground and just get up for this week."

Reid said the back six was holding up well in the absence of captain Nick Maxwell, who fractured his thumb two weeks ago against St Kilda.

He also said the team's main leadership role was being filled admirably by vice-captain Scott Pendlebury and his deputies.

"A few guys have stepped up. Tom Young came in last week and had a great game and Tyson Goldsack has come in the last few weeks and played some fantastic footy," he said.

"We're coping all right and as a back six and a team, we're just concentrating on playing well this week.

"I think it's the best thing about our club, that we've got five or six guys who are really good at leadership, and Pendles has stepped up and taken the captaincy and he's as good as anyone going around in that role."

Reid said Maxwell was still hopeful he would be available to return at some point next month.

"As far as I know, he is. He's taking things week by week and that's all he can do and hopefully we can get him back for finals," he said.

The injury-ravaged Fremantle will field a side that is expected to be without captain Matthew Pavlich, Adam McPhee, Antoni Grover, David Mundy, Greg Broughton, Hayden Ballantyne and Alex Silvagni on Friday night.

Reid said the Magpies still expected a contest and were focused on getting their best football rolling with the first final just over two weeks away.

"They've got a lot of talent in their list. They might have a few out but they've still got players to come in and they have a lot of talented kids," he said.

"Last week we didn't play our best footy and this week we're just really concentrating on going out there and playing four quarters of good football.

"We want to start playing our best footy now leading into finals and as a few of the boys said, 'It's a dress rehearsal going into the finals,' and we want to play four quarters of solid footy and have some confidence going in."

Jennifer Witham covers Collingwood news for the AFL Website. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.