Collingwood are contemplating an early return for Dane Swan, with the 2011 Brownlow medallist training well on Wednesday.
Swan was slated to make his AFL comeback from a foot injury against Brisbane on Saturday week at the MCG.
But coach Nathan Buckley confirmed the 30-year-old was in the mix for Sunday’s clash with West Coast in Perth.
“That (Wednesday) was his first football session. We’ll see how he pulls up from that, he’ll train again on Friday,” Buckley said.
“The original plan was to probably have him up for Brisbane, but he’s a senior player and has lots of experience.
“So we’ll end up having a discussion with him over the next 24 hours and see where we go from here.”
Buckley will be forced to make at least one change to the side that downed Port Adelaide by six points at the MCG.
Veteran Luke Ball looms as a like-for-like replacement for young gun Taylor Adams, who will miss the rest of the season with a finger injury.
“Everyone would suggest that … but not necessarily,” Buckley said.
“Bally’s performed really well, but we had four or five guys that played exceptionally well at VFL level.”
Tom Langdon and Heritier Lumumba both missed Wednesday’s training run, but Buckley said they were only being managed.
Brent Macaffer, who rolled his ankle in the last-start win over the Power, also didn’t take part in the session.
“But he’s got plenty of time to get up. We expect him to be right,” Buckley said.
The Magpies climbed back into the top eight on the weekend, finding form with four rounds remaining before finals.
Buckley said he wasn’t interested in looking at the ladder, but was impressed with the club’s “renewed belief” since the recent split round.
“I’ve noticed since the bye that we’ve had guys step up, increase their demand on themselves and their teammates,” he said.
“We had a young group that needed a breather and a senior element that had been carrying the can.
“Leadership of the club has grown as the year’s progressed … we feel like we’re in a really good place to attack the last part of the year.”
