Collingwood are confident star forward Alan Didak will recover from a groin injury in time to play a meaningful role in the Magpies’ push for a second AFL premiership in three years.

Didak hobbled off in the opening minute of the Queen’s Birthday clash against Melbourne.

Scans on Tuesday revealed he had completely torn the adductor muscle.

But Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh said that was preferable to the adductor injury the two-time All-Australian suffered in the pre-season which saw him sidelined for two months.

“Alan previously had a partial tear that was a consequence of the injury he suffered in the pre-season,” said Walsh.

“With the muscle being completely torn away it will allow a full attachment to take place that will not require surgery.

“The advice is that the healing and rehabilitation process will not keep Alan sidelined for as long as he was in the pre-season.

“It’s very much a short- to medium-term injury.”

The diagnosis allayed fears that the latest injury for the 29-year-old Didak would be a season-ending one.

“Alan will go into a recovery phase and then a strengthening phase, to build back up his strength and fitness, and we’re confident that he won’t be out for as long as he was last time,” Walsh said.

“These things can rarely be predicted with exact precision but we’re expecting Alan to play a significant role in the season.”

Despite a long injury list, the Magpies sit a game clear atop the ladder heading into their mid-season break.

Didak joins the likes of Luke Ball, Ben Johnson, Heath Shaw, Ben Reid, Andrew Krakouer, Brent Macaffer and Lachlan Keefe on the injured list.

Vice-captain Scott Pendlebury also missed the 42-point win over Melbourne with a cracked tibia.