Unsure about Treloar

COACH Nathan Buckley says Collingwood can salute in September without their injured stars returning in time for finals.

Adam Treloar, who Buckley says is “unlikely” for next Saturday’s qualifying final with West Coast, Jeremy Howe, Tyson Goldsack, Darcy Moore and Ben Reid are all on the sidelines and determined to prove their fitness for the club’s first finals campaign in five years.

The Magpies are undoubtedly a better side with those five available but their absence hasn’t deterred Buckley’s enthusiasm for their flag tilt.

“I understand there’s going to be a lot of focus on potential inclusions,” he said.

“But if our side didn’t change we would back ourselves.

“If we had no access to anyone other than the 22 that played on the weekend, we still back ourselves to be able to get the job done.”

Treloar trained well yesterday and continues to push for a return.

Buckley said he was pleased with Treloar’s recovery from a rare double hamstring strain, which required surgery, but the trip to Perth might come too soon.

“It’s in the realms of possibility that it would be Saturday week but unlikely. It won’t be far after that,” Buckley said.

Howe appears certain to make the trip, providing timely reinforcement in defence given season-ending injuries to Lynden Dunn and Matt Scharenberg and the looming challenge of facing an Eagles attack spearheaded by Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling.

Goldsack, who hasn’t played this season at senior level after an ACL injury and back issues, was also “a live chance”, according to Buckley.

Either way, Buckley has confidence in his back six.

“We’ve got a pretty strong belief in how we defend. It’s not just in the size of our tallest defender,” he said.

Captain Scott Pendlebury was missing from training yesterday, quarantined after going down with a bug.

“His timing is immaculate, he’s picked a good weekend off to get crook,” Buckley said.