Injury-plagued forward Jamie Elliott has been given the all clear to make his return to football for Collingwood this weekend.
The Pies confirmed the news on their Twitter injury update Tuesday afternoon, further affirming coach Nathan Buckley's remarks last week that Elliott was fast approaching readiness for competition once again after failing to see out the win over Carlton in Round 8 and missing the last seven weeks of action.
"He hasn't missed a beat," Buckley told the media.
"The sort of volumes he's doing out there at the moment are nearly full-game volumes and with as high intensity as you could get in training."
What remains to be seen is where Elliott will be re-introduced if he gets through this week's training unscathed.
Buckley may be tempted to deploy him immediately into the senior side ahead of a crucial Friday night encounter with Hawthorn at the MCG given the dismal display of last weekend's shock humbling at the hands of North Melbourne.
Extra star power and pressure in attack will be desperately welcomed in a forward line mostly reliant on Jordan de Goey with Ben Reid injured, having replaced Jaidyn Stephenson at the start of his gambling ban.
"Over the years we have been prudent and we have run guys through the VFL, but we'll make that judgment when he gets the green light," Buckley said.
Buckley would add that the former club leading goalkicker has "trained really strongly the last couple of weeks".
"We're looking forward to getting him back. He's been real impressive," he said.
