Scans clear Magpie for AFL grand final

Just when they need it most, Collingwood's luck with AFL injuries is turning.

Scans on Saturday cleared defender Jeremy Howe and he's expected to play in the grand final against West Coast.

Howe suffered a jarred left ankle in the second half of Friday night's shock preliminary final win over Richmond and ended the match with ice strapped to it.

Jordan De Goey was also taken off in the last quarter as a precaution but he, too, isn't expected to be in doubt for next Saturday's MCG clash.

On Saturday morning, Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury was upbeat about Howe's fitness.

"I've seen him today. He seems all right," Pendlebury said.

"Prelims are pretty brutal games of football and everyone cops a knock but he came back on and played an important role in those last 10 minutes."

Collingwood's shocking run with injuries this season is well documented but they have fielded unchanged line-ups for their past two finals.

They are also unlikely to make any changes for the grand final.

Howe returned for the qualifying final loss to the Eagles after suffering a corked thigh so bad it needed surgery and sidelined him for a month.

He was one of three injured players to return that week, with the Magpies taking risks on Adam Treloar (hamstring surgery) and Tyson Goldsack (knee reconstruction).

The recalls of Treloar and Goldsack have paid off massively for the Pies.

By contrast, injury and illness hurt the Tigers in Friday night's loss.

While they have also had their injury problems this season, it was nothing like Collingwood's run.

But Dustin Martin (corked thigh) clearly wasn't as his best and defender David Astbury had a quiet game after being so ill during the week he needed to go to hospital for an intravenous drip.