TRAVIS Varcoe looks set to play on with Collingwood next season after opening contract talks with the club.

Varcoe, 29, has had a horror run with injury in 2017, playing just eight games before a dislocated elbow in the Magpies' round 18 win against West Coast ended his season.

The 29-year-old is due to come out of contract at the end of the season, but it's understood he remains a required player at Collingwood and is in negotiations for a new deal.

When fit, Varcoe remains a valuable player. A good ball-user and decision-maker, he can also break games open with his run and carry.

Varcoe has played 47 games for Collingwood since arriving at the Holden Centre via a 2014 trade with Geelong that also sent Heritier Lumumba from Collingwood to Melbourne and Mitch Clark from Melbourne to Geelong.

The former Cat played every game in his first season with the Magpies, finishing 10th in the Copeland Trophy after averaging a career-high 17 disposals a game, but he missed five matches last year with two separate hamstring injuries.

Varcoe suffered another hamstring injury in round six this season that sidelined him for eight weeks, but his most recent injury was the result of a sickening collision with Eagle Jackson Nelson.

Varcoe was concussed after he accidentally flipped over Nelson in a marking contest, landing heavily on his elbow and head.

He underwent surgery on his elbow the following week and was soon ruled out for the rest of the season. He is, however, expected to be fit for the start of 2018 pre-season training.

Varcoe was a member of Geelong's 2009 and 2011 premiership teams after being taken by the Cats with pick No.15 in the 2005 NAB AFL Draft.

He played 138 games and kicked 130 goals in nine seasons with Geelong.