Key midfielder Taylor Adams admits he will be playing through pain if he runs out in Collingwood's AFL qualifying against Geelong.
The 28-year-old missed the Magpies' last three home-and-away games after injuring his groin in the round 20 win against Port Adelaide.
Adams trained strongly at the AIA Centre last Friday night and is expected to return against the Cats at the MCG on Saturday evening.
But Collingwood's vice-captain concedes he will be short of full fitness if he plays.
Adams did downplay the severity of the injury, saying it would pale in comparison to what Dermott Brereton experienced in the 1989 grand final when the Hawthorn champion played on with broken ribs and a ruptured kidney.
"As it stands right now, unless something happens or I pull up sore, then I'll be playing Saturday," Adams told reporters on Monday.
"The injury's like an overload injury. Unfortunately the pain won't completely dissipate but it's pretty mild at the moment and I'm getting better every day.
"Don't think I'm going out there like Dermott in '89 and playing through broken ribs, but I'm talking about a bit of a niggle so I'm pretty confident I should be fine.
"I feel like the block of work I've had has put me in a great position."
Adams' inclusion would be a huge boost to Collingwood, who are riding high after winning 12 of their past 13 games.
Collingwood will enter the match as underdogs, as they have been for much of the season, but the Magpies' belief is sky-high after an extraordinary run of success in close games.
Adams feels capable of contributing immediately in a high-pressure contest in front of up to 90,000 people.
"I've missed quite a few games through my time and my first game back, personally, has been pretty strong," he said.
"I genuinely feel refreshed coming off an injury, physically and mentally."
Collingwood will move straight through to a preliminary final, and will be just one win away from an unexpected grand final berth, if they can inflict more first-week finals pain upon the Cats.
The Magpies upset Geelong in the 2019 qualifying final when the Cats also finished as minor premiers.
Geelong are 1-8 in the first week of finals since 2012, the year after their last premiership.
