COLLINGWOOD'S confidence in taking on West Coast won't depend on any star inclusions returning from injury for the qualifying final clash, according to coach Nathan Buckley.

The Magpies' shocking injury run this season has not stopped them from clinching a top-four berth, and they will take on the Eagles next Saturday night at Optus Stadium.

Jeremy Howe is expected to play after a month out with a corked thigh that he has had to have drained, but important midfielder Adam Treloar seems most likely for the Pies' second final – either in the semi-final or preliminary final stage.

"Whilst I understand there's going to be a lot of focus on potential inclusions, if our side didn't change we would back ourselves," Buckley said after steering the Pies back into the finals for the first time since 2013.

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"If we had no access to anyone other than the 22 who played on the weekend [against Fremantle] we'd back ourselves to get the job done.

"If it so happens there are one or two changes, or there are forced changes, through the next month, which we'd expect, we'll just continue to approach it as we have our whole season.

"And that is what we have is good enough, what we have is enough, and we just need to make the most of it."

Treloar is pushing his case having not played since his double hamstring injury in round 14, including a strong session on Wednesday.



"He's working towards proving his capability to assist us over the next month. The training session today was impressive and we'll have some decisions to make," Buckley said.

"It's [about] a body of work he's putting together. It's in the realms of possibility [he'd play] Saturday week [against the Eagles] but it's unlikely. But it won't be far after that, and I'm sure he'll be pushing pretty hard."

However, the news appears better for Howe, who hasn't featured for the Pies since their round 19 loss to Richmond.

"He's moving well and progressing through a pretty heavy block of training and we expect him to be ready to go," Buckley said.

Skipper Scott Pendlebury missed training on Wednesday with a virus, which saw vice-captain Steele Sidebottom stand in for Pendlebury at the club's press conference, but Buckley cleared any doubt over the champion midfielder.

"He was a bit crook yesterday and a bit viral, [so we] chose not to let him come in and affect negatively his teammates," he said.

"He might've known there was a media call on. He generally reads the play pretty well and his timing's immaculate, so he's picked a week off to get crook. He'll be fine."

Former Cat Travis Varcoe has returned to Melbourne and addressed his teammates at training on Wednesday after spending time in Adelaide by his sister's side as she fights for life after a freak on-field football accident.



Varcoe's 27-year-old sister collided with a teammate and an opponent during the Grand Final between her Angle Vale Football Club and Mount Lofty on Sunday.

"Obviously it's a really difficult time for Trav and his family. He spoke about how he's got his family, his two kids and his wife Kim as well, but he also mentioned that he also feels comfortable and wanted to be around his other family and that's us at the footy club," Sidebottom said.

"Wherever Trav needs to be – whether that's at the club or with his family – we can support him in that way. It's obviously a terrible situation to be in, but we get around Trav as much as we can."