Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says Jamie Elliott is right to take on Geelong in Round 1

He hasn’t played senior football for more than 12 months but all that is about to change for Jamie Elliott. Get the latest on the returning Pie as well as Jordan De Goey, Jaidyn Stephenson and Ben Reid.

Jamie Elliott is ready for Round 1. Picture: AAP Images

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley said injury-plagued forward Jamie Elliott is cherry ripe to play Round 1 despite sitting out the last quarter on Sunday.

And the Magpies’ boss believes the AFL is unlikely to bow to pressure from clubs and change the new runner rules in the face of fierce criticism from Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge.

Collingwood rounded out its preseason with a four-point win over Carlton in Morwell and is expecting injured star goal kicker Jordan De Goey (ankle) and Rising Star winner Jaidyn Stephenson (groin) to be fit to play the Cats in the season-opener.

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The Pies are also backing key forward Ben Reid to overcome his latest quad injury after another devastating soft-tissue blow in the VFL on Saturday.

Elliott came off on Sunday after curling home his second goal in the third term, but Buckley said it was only to protect the sharpshooter ahead of his long-awaited senior comeback.

“That was just precautionary, he wanted to continue, he wanted to keep going,” Buckley said.

“That was our call just to pull him, because he has had a really strong preseason and he has been in great shape.

Jamie Elliott is ready for Round 1. Picture: Getty Images

“And he is cherry ripe for the beginning of the year.”

Elliott missed all of last season with a horror run of injuries but was prominent early on Sunday and could help Stephenson play further up the ground on a wing this year.

Buckley endorsed encouraging performances from key defensive pair Jordan Roughead and Darcy Moore, but said Reid’s latest quad injury was a tough setback.

“We are really disappointed for Reidy,” Buckley said.

“He has had a really strong preseason, so it’s bad timing and it’s frustrating for Reidy and for us because he puts so much into it and invests so much.

“We believe if he persists he will get to the other side of it.”

Beveridge and Brisbane veteran Luke Hodge have called for the AFL to scrap the new runner restrictions which only permit them on to the ground after goals.

But Buckley said he wasn’t expecting the league to buckle, even though he seemed a little surprised at the move to restrict them.

“I am not expecting it (a late change),” he said.

“We have had some late (rule) changes over the past three or four years.

“I don’t think the runner has been a particular blight on the game, or the view of the game.

“Have we noticed them being off, any more than we notice them being on?

Jordan De Goey is expected to play in Round 1. Picture: AAP Images

“But the reality is we have prepared all season for not having it, and we believe we will have the capacity to deal with the challenges the game throws at us.”

Carlton senior assistant coach John Barker was encouraged by the Blues’ ability to challenge a mature Pies outfit late in the game on Sunday.

He said Alex Fasolo, who played VFL on Saturday, and injured ruckman Matthew Kreuzer, would be considered for the Round 1 clash against Richmond.

“We have got a number of new players learning our system and there are parts of our system which are standing up,” Barker said.

“We were plus 17 (points) in the last quarter against a quality outfit, who has just played off in a Grand Final.

“So for the group, from an age perspective, and synergy, it’s a real positive.”