Collingwood has made the decision not to operate on defender Brayden Maynard's shoulder, keeping his season alive.
Maynard's shoulder popped out twice in the first half of the King's Birthday clash with Melbourne, with the Pies ruling him out of the second half.
But instead of opting for surgery, Maynard looks set for a short stint on the sidelines in the hope of strengthening the shoulder before returning.
If the strengthening process is unsuccessful and the shoulder remains vulnerable, the Pies would be forced to reassess but Maynard is one of the club's most courageous players so would likely be keen to push what's possible.
The Magpies' defence will be depleted in the short term, with Darcy Moore still out indefinitely with his hamstring injury, while Billy Frampton has been rubbed out for three weeks, but is appealing the suspension. Backup options Reef McInnes (ACL) and Joel Cochran (shoulder) are also sidelined.
It could put Mid-Season pickup Liam Puncher in the frame for a debut after the bye.
Collingwood sit 11th on the table with a 5-1-7 record and will likely be six points outside the top 10 after their bye.
