COLLINGWOOD coach Michael Malthouse says midfielder Shane O’Bree is still a chance to play against St Kilda on Saturday night despite being left out of the original side.

And in further great news for the Pies, Malthouse said key forward Anthony Rocca was in line to return within weeks.

O'Bree picked up a thigh strain in last week's loss to Hawthorn and was left out of the team published on Thursday evening, but Malthouse revealed the onballer trained on Friday and was still a chance to take the field on Saturday night despite not being named as an emergency.

As for Rocca, Malthouse said he and Ben Reid were making steady progress in rehabbing their respective ankle and foot injuries.

"Yeah I think he is," the coach replied when asked if Rocca was a chance to return to the side before the end of the home-and-away season.

"He's done six weeks [of rehab] and we thought between six and 12. Obviously six weeks is up now and the word [from the medical staff] is eight. Ben Reid's not far off either; he's up and running, I think the bone has healed, so he's around the mark as well."

Malthouse is keen to return the focus to on-field matters after "a difficult week" at the club and is upbeat ahead of the vital clash against St Kilda that will see two players make their AFL debuts.

John McCarthy, an 18-year-old midfielder picked 31st overall in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft, and Chris Dawes, a 20-year-old key forward prospect, will pull on the black and white stripes for the first time with Malthouse eager to give them a good run at the elite level.

"They're two exciting young players who have perhaps surprised us all with their development over the last few weeks," Malthouse said from the Lexus Centre on Friday.

"I think it would be fair to say that Chris Dawes as a young man, before he did his knee, was highly thought of as a key position player. As a consequence of doing the knee we were able to pick him up pretty cheaply, we thought, for a key position player.

"He's a highly intelligent young man who I think will be, down the track, a fairly good partner in playing in the forward line with Travis Cloke, Ben Reid and Sean Rusling.

"John McCarthy is a kid who is very dedicated to being a good footballer.

"I hope they can stay in the side for the next four weeks and if they can do that and play good enough football, who knows, they may be in the side for the rest of the year if we manage to make the finals and you'll see for yourself what sort of qualities they bring to the side."

Dawes and McCarthy will be the fourth and fifth players to make their debuts for the club this season with Malthouse also forecasting the imminent elevation of rookie Brent Macaffer.

Malthouse also allayed any fears that veteran Shane Wakelin, who was rested last week, had been pressed back into service prematurely by the club's injury and suspension issues.

"He's ready to go, he's like a first-round pick ready to play his first game," he said.