Collingwood will manage in-form midfielder Steele Sidebottom for Saturday's meeting with North Melbourne, while captain Darcy Moore is an outside chance to feature in Round 11.
The Magpies have looked to rest their senior figures this month as they work through a long season, with all of Scott Pendlebury, Brody Mihocek, Brayden Maynard, and Jordan De Goey managed a fortnight ago.
That move paid dividends, with Pendlebury and Maynard critical late into last week's win over Adelaide, with Mihocek also contributing in the final term with a goal.
Sidebottom has played all 10 games this year for the Magpies, a run that has seen the 34-year-old put up career-best numbers as an inside ball-winner. In his 17th season in black and white, Sidebottom is averaging 23.5 disposals, 10.7 contested possessions and 5.1 clearances per game under coach Craig McRae.
The Magpies coach has seen this weekend's affair with the Kangaroos as an opportune time to rest Sidebottom, who will likely return with fresh legs for the following week's matchup with Hawthorn as teammates come off a six-day break.
"Steele is going to rest this week," McRae confirmed.
"We'll manage him... It's sort of been the plan for a number of weeks. He's had a bit of a grumbling back, but he's had that for the last six or seven years.
"Slowly but surely, it's expressed itself a little more, and we've had to deliver a plan to manage him as well."
Sidebottom's omission might not be the only change for McRae, with defender Dan Houston dealing with a corked calf that has limited him on the track this week.
Houston will be named for Saturday's clash, but will be a watch in the next 48 hours.
"Dan had a bigger limp at the start of the week," McRae said.
"So we're rapt with how he's gone about it. He'll play, at the moment, as long as he doesn't pull up sore tomorrow."
The Magpies could make a decision on Houston in the 11th hour as he looks to prove his fitness to face the Roos, with Houston still to be named, while Collingwood's backline is expected to be without captain Darcy Moore again.
Moore has been dealing with a shoulder issue since Round 9, with the ailment forcing him to miss the Crows clash last weekend.
"We'll rule him out, unless something changes in the next half an hour or so before match committee," McRae said.
"He's another that put himself in the frame to play. Unfortunately, it's just a little bit of lingering stuff with the AC joint, and it's not quite enough to play.
"But the way he's prepared himself this week, he's really close."
The premiership skipper is looking less likely to be fit in time for Saturday's match, leaving the likes of Jeremy Howe and Billy Frampton to try and limit Nick Larkey and co.
Untried youngsters Harry DeMattia and Charlie West continue to press their case for a senior debut.
West has been the travelling emergency on multiple occasions but has dealt with a minor plantar fasciitis issue.
DeMattia has thrived since being put in the midfield in the reserves side, and could get a look in against a youthful Kangaroos side.
Collingwood will face North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium on Saturday at 7:35 pm as they look to hold their place atop the ladder.
