Ex-AFL fitness boss places concern on Collingwood following lack of pre-season clashes

Collingwood's decision to manage a host of veterans in Sunday's final pre-season clash could come back to bite the Pies, according to fitness guru David Buttifant.

Former Pies sports science director Buttifant was surprised when he learned that eight stars weren't named a week before the club's Opening Round clash against St Kilda.

"It is interesting because it takes a while to get some momentum," Buttifant told Zero Hanger.

"It's risk versus reward. You're going to see some injuries.

"In the first three or four weeks, you're going to see some knee injuries. It's just the lack of exposure and proprioception."

Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe missed through injury, while Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Jamie Elliott and Jack Crisp were listed as emergencies.

Nick Daicos, Jordan De Goey and Tim Membrey weren't named.

But the lack of consistent exposure to game-like competition won't work in favour of the Pies, according to Buttifant, with most of their stars only getting a singular hitout against opposition since the end of last year's season.

"It takes a bit of time before they're really conditioned," he said. "(Games are) an elevated intensity compared to what they do in their training. It doesn't matter how much you do, it won't replicate a competitive game.

"In the past, they played more games. So I think we may see more injuries occurring in the first four or five games."

The long and arduous AFL season puts more emphasis on managing players throughout the year, which is the clear directive of Collingwood in the warmer months.

The Pies were dominant for two-thirds of last year, sitting 10 points clear on top of the ladder at Round 17.

But a dramatic dip in form saw McRae's men lose five of their next seven, and were grateful to Port Adelaide for defeating Gold Coast to narrowly secure a top-four spot (by seven per cent).

An impressive qualifying final win against Adelaide had Collingwood ready for a second flag in three years, but a rampant Brisbane outfit simply outran, outworked and outmuscled the Pies, which by the end of the game, really showed their wears.

Could the early management of some of their stars be in anticipation of the taxing 25-week season plus finals?