Collingwood are set to unveil prized recruit Adam Treloar in the opening round of the AFL season, but injury-prone defender Ben Reid is less certain to face Sydney.
Treloar, who has been on a modified program following groin surgery, played three quarters of a VFL practice match at the weekend and will play in Collingwood's final NAB Challenge match against the Western Bulldogs on Saturday.
"He's done a lot of footy work, we've tailored his preparation to this point with round one in mind all along," coach Nathan Buckley said of Treloar.
"Unless he has a setback there's no reason why he wouldn't play.
"He got through the VFL game really well, he ran around today, then he'll get through Thursday and we'll work out exactly how much of it he'll play."
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Reid, who has been beset by soft-tissue injuries in the past two seasons, trained away from the main group on Tuesday with Buckley admitting he was unlikely to play against the Bulldogs.
The coach agreed the Etihad Stadium clash would serve as a dress rehearsal for the opening round of the season that was switched from ANZ Stadium to the SCG by the AFL - a move that sparked an angry war of words between the management of the two clubs.
Buckley is hopeful that Reid will be available to face the Swans even if he takes no part in the NAB Challenge but, given the versatile big man's injury history, he won't be rushed.
"Whilst there's an aura around round one, we're (then) a six-day break into round two," Buckley said.
"So we're not just planning for the first game of the year and that's it - we're planning for a marathon which is the home and away season."
Rebounding defender Marley Williams is set to play his first game of the pre-season but veteran swingman Tyson Goldsack is still battling to overcome knee tendinitis.
