Scott Pendlebury back to boost wounded Collingwood against Demons

Scott Pendlebury will headline a boosted Collingwood outfit against Melbourne as the team braces for the season’s second footy frenzy.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says his team can survive despite a multitude of injury issues. Picture: Brett Costello

Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury will headline a boosted Pies outfit against Melbourne on Saturday as the team braces for the second footy frenzy of the season.

But they are more than ready for the task, coach Nathan Buckley has declared, despite significant injury blows to midfield duo Brayden Sier and Adam Treloar.

Pendlebury injured his quad in the warm-up of Collingwood’s Round 8 clash with West Coast, and has missed four games.

“He’s right to go and looking forward to playing,” Buckley said.

“He’s done everything in his power and he’s up and physically ready to go.”

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Star defender Darcy Moore, Ben Reid and forward pair Will Hoskin-Elliott and Jamie Elliott are also available after missing the team’s win over Adelaide.

Collingwood will embark on the league’s second frantic period of games – which was announced on Friday – without Sier and Treloar, who have suffered quad and hamstring injuries which both involve tendon issues.

Scott Pendlebury returns for Collingwood after missing four matches. Picture: Getty Images

Sier “felt something just above his knee” against Adelaide, Buckley said, with scans revealing “quite a significant injury” that will sideline him for at least the remainder of the regular season.

“But he was able to push through that and contribute to a win at that moment,” Buckley said.

“The injury itself is quite (serious) … the muscle itself has come away from the tendon a little bit in the lower part of the quadriceps, and I think that’s going to take a little bit of time to heal.

“I think it’s four to six weeks at this point, but it was an amazing effort from a young fella to stand up when he was required.”

Treloar is also racing the clock to play before the finals series.

Buckley said the team had learned to brace “for whatever comes” and would be well-placed to manage their needs.

“(It’s a state of mind of), ‘OK, you just let us know what we need to do and we’ll get it done’,” he said.

“We’ve got a really deep squad, and we’ve shown that over the last two or three weeks, to be honest.

“I think only the Swans have played more players than we have, and we’ve still got some boys there.

“Tom Langdon and Levi Greenwood are pushing for their opportunities late in the year and they’re potentially going to be around the mark … Tom’s still got some work to do but he’s heading in the right direction. But we’re really confident about our capacity to play a brand of footy that is going to challenge the best sides.

“Compressed fixture or not, we’re ready for whatever comes our way and believe that we’re in really good shape.”

Herald Sun