Jeremy Howe in doubt for Queen’s Birthday clash against Melbourne

JEREMY Howe will not train today but Collingwood is hopeful he will recover from a knee injury in time to play against Melbourne on Monday.

Jeremy Howe hurt his knee and adductor against Port Adelaide.

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley says the Magpies will give Jeremy Howe every chance to prove his fitness for Monday’s Queen’s Birthday clash.

Howe hurt his knee and adductor in last week’s loss to Port Adelaide and will not train with his Magpies teammates on Thursday.

Buckley said Howe was still sore, but the team would give him time to get up for the MCG clash.

“He was sore, there’s no doubt about that,’’ Buckley said.

“The knee issue initially and he won’t train today, but we’ll give him every chance given we don’t play until Monday.

“He’s been pretty important over the last month im that defensive role and coming across and impacting defensively, good contests and setting up some offence for us.

“So we are keen to get him up.’’

Buckley forecast the possibility of changes at the selection table with several players, including Marley Williams and Jarrod Witts, pushing their case with strong form in the VFL.

“We’ve had a really good and strong performance in the VFL last Saturday against Werribee down there,’’ Buckley said.

“(Nathan) Brown, (Tyson) Goldsack and Williams were senior players that were back and have started putting their case together for coming back into the side.

“(Tom) Phillips, Witts, Marsh are three that have a solid block of form behind them so they are probably the best performed VFL players.

“That’s where you’d start looking for any changes that we make.’’

Jeremy Howe is in career-best form. Picture: Michael Klein

Buckley said the Magpies were considering the prospect of extra support in the ruck for Brodie Grundy against Max Gawn.

“It’s something we’re look at, something we’ve discussed. We think Brodie has been going pretty well in there and we think he’s a naturally combative ruckman similar to Gawn.

“But Wittsy has been in really strong form at VFL level so we’ve got to work out if we deny him any longer.”

Buckley defended the leadership of captain Scott Pendlebury after premiership player Mick McGuane said today he should be replaced by Taylor Adams as skipper and was looking for “easy ball”.

“Pendles has been very strong, been brilliant, his leadership has been first-class internal and I think on game day as well,’’ Buckley said.

“In amongst a group that with a bit of lack of continuity, we’re not enjoying the depth of leadership that we’d like to see. Brown and (Brent) Macaffer have been in the VFL for a period, Brown with his hammy and with Tay out at the moment. That’s our senior leadership.

“But Pendles has stood up and been a beacon for us for a long time now and continues through 2016.

“I respect Mick’s views on the game and played with him and I think he sees the game very tactically, but I think he has got this one wrong.’’

Meanwhile, Buckley said he supported Dane Swan, who has started to get the moon boot off his injured foot, playing on next season if the veteran midfielder wanted to.

“It’s still softly, softly and it’s going to take time to work out how the foot responds,’’ he said.

“There’s still a lot to play out that we don’t know about ... Swanny has still got to work out what he really wants to do going forward.’’