PREMIERSHIP players Darren Jolly, Alan Didak and Tyson Goldsack are all in line to play their first matches for the year in Collingwood's NAB Cup semi-final against West Coast at Patersons Stadium

Wednesday's training session at Gosch's Paddock will determine how many senior players make the trip to Perth, with Brad Dick also among those staking a claim for a call up ahead of the afternoon's match committee.

Assistant coach Mark Neeld, who will coach the side as part of Mick Malthouse's pre-season coaching rotation plan, said the travel factor wouldn't play a part in deciding who would come into the squad.

"We see the travel to Perth as a great warm up for our travel during the year," he said.

"Probably up to 50 per cent of our side won't have played an AFL standard game interstate, so it's a great experience for them and for us to get over there and practice our travelling routine."

Jolly's load has been managed through the pre-season so far, Didak has been recovering from the torn pectoral muscle he had operated on last year, Goldsack has been ill but played in a VFL practice match last weekend and Dick is coming back from a shoulder injury.

There is another VFL scratch match this weekend as an option for players who aren't cleared to travel west.

Dane Swan is expected to back up after playing his first game for the year last week while Leon Davis and Andrew Krakouer are expected to play in front of their home state crowd.

Neeld said the Magpies were supportive of the NAB Cup concept despite recent debate over its value and popularity, but would embrace change if the format were altered.

"I read what [Eagles coach] John Worsfold said about the NAB Cup, that he believes no one remembers how you go in the NAB Cup and it's all about the season," he said.

"We tend to support that theory a little bit but we use it as a platform to build.

"Whatever the AFL bring up, coaches find a way to work with it and at the moment, we're quite happy working with the NAB program we have.

"If they change that, we'll find a way to be happy with whatever they give us."

Darren Jolly is a $331,100 ruckman in the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition