Underdone, under the knife, under injury clouds or under suspension.

The problems facing Collingwood players ahead of their round-one clash with Hawthorn at the MCG on Friday night have been varied and plentiful, and the unavailable list is set to lengthen with skipper Nick Maxwell now in serious doubt.

Maxwell injured an ankle during the pre-season and had hoped he would be fit for the much-anticipated preliminary final rematch.

But teammate Heath Shaw labelled Maxwell “pretty doubtful” to play against the Hawks.

“He’s keeping everyone guessing, he gives himself every chance to play and he prepares as well as he can,” Shaw said on Monday.

“We’ve got our main (training) session tomorrow and if he doesn’t get through that then he won’t play.”

The Magpies have endured a difficult pre-season, and are already without Brent Macaffer and Andrew Krakouer for the year after both underwent knee reconstructions following serious pre-season injuries.

Midfielder Sharrod Wellingham has been suspended by the club for drinking alcohol while injured and won’t return to the AFL side until at least round three.

Shaw said defenders Chris Tarrant and Nathan Brown were likely to continue their returns from injury through the reserves this weekend, rather than be rushed into the side to play the Hawks.

And experienced Alan Didak and Ben Johnson may also join that duo and Wellingham in the Magpies’ VFL side against Geelong on Saturday as they fight back from pre-season injuries.

“We’re going to have a pretty good team down in the VFL this week with some big names,” Shaw said.

“It’s early in the year, you don’t want to rush them back and hopefully after a few weeks back in the reserves they’ll be right to go.

“We’ve played a whole NAB Cup program without them and our performances … have given us a lot of confidence coming into the Hawthorn game.”

With Tarrant out, Shaw expects emerging defender Ben Reid to be given the match-up on Hawthorn superstar Lance Franklin.

“He’s played on Buddy in bits and pieces and he’s the obvious pick. Reidy’s had a pretty solid pre-season as well,” Shaw said.

“Buddy’s in some pretty hot form coming into round one so Reidy’s going to have his hands full, but hopefully the midfield and a couple of his backline teammates can help him out as well.”