Veterans could boost Pies
Chris Tarrant and Alan Didak are in the mix to return this weekend.
The veteran pair looms as ideal replacements for the injured Tyson Goldsack and suspended Dane Swan for Saturday night's clash with the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium.
Despite Didak wrapping his session up early after briefly touching his left hamstring, coach Nathan Buckley said he considered the experienced two in the frame for selection this week.
"[Didak] trained particularly well and I think he came out of it pretty well," Buckley said afterwards.
"'Taz' didn't pull up real well after the GWS game so we think he's been able to use the extra weekend to get up to speed and he trained well today."??
Tarrant was a late withdrawal before Saturday night's six-point win over St Kilda with back spasms, while Didak has been coming back from an adductor tear in the VFL.
Didak last played seniors in round 11 against Melbourne on the Queen's Birthday when he tore his adductor in the opening minute of the game.
Heath Shaw, Nick Maxwell and Dale Thomas were others who left the track early on Wednesday from what was a freezing, wet session at Gosch's Paddock.
Buckley wasn't too concerned about trio pulling up stumps early from the wintery hit-out.
"There's no concerns [about Shaw, Maxwell or Thomas] at this stage. It isn't favourable conditions out there at the moment," he said.
"The boys got through the session pretty well and we'll do our final match committee this afternoon where the guru David Buttifant will let me know exactly how blokes are in their physical status."
Goldsack is unavailable due to a one-to-two week ankle injury while Swan has been suspended for two games for breaking a team rule and consuming alcohol. ??Brent Macaffer and Andrew Krakouer trained strongly after playing 75 per cent of Saturday's VFL win over Bendigo.
"You speak about things that could potentially bring the club down or build them up, and 'Caff' and 'Krak', the way they've been able to work through their challenges over the last five and a half months, it was fantastic to see them out on the field up at Bendigo," Buckley said.
"They've pulled up really well and they're looking forward to getting into the second week."
?Ben Johnson is aiming to play alongside the two this week in the VFL side's clash with Sandringham at Trevor Barker Beach Oval on Sunday.
Johnson had a shoulder reconstruction in May and remains optimistic of playing seniors again this year.