COLLINGWOOD will finally welcome back important defender Jeremy Howe for Friday night's AAMI Community Series clash with Richmond, but the reigning premiers will be without key forward Tom Lynch.
Howe has been absent since June last year due to a long-term knee injury, but re-joins a Magpies outfit that has two new faces pressing for a round one debut in the pre-season clash at Marvel Stadium.
First-round pick Oliver Henry keeps his place in the side that narrowly lost to Geelong in a behind-closed-doors practice match last week following an eye-catching display, while running defender Trent Bianco is also in the 26-man squad.
Richmond will be without Lynch, who is nursing a sore toe on the eve of round one, but the club confirmed earlier on Thursday that both he and experienced midfielder Dion Prestia (hamstring) should be fit for the season-opener on March 18.
The Tigers have selected ruckman Callum Coleman-Jones, who is suspended for the first four games of the upcoming season due to a COVID-19 breach last year, while two uncapped players in Riley Collier-Dawkins and Will Martyn will also play.
Meanwhile, Richmond train-on player Derek Eggmolesse-Smith has also been selected in the 26-man squad as he battles to earn one of the final places on the club's list ahead of the Pre-season Supplemental Selection Period deadline on March 9.
Friday, March 5
Collingwood v Richmond at Marvel Stadium, 7.25pm AEDT
COLLINGWOOD
B: J.Howe 38 J.Roughead 23 B.Maynard 37
HB: J.Crisp 25 D.Moore 30 I.Quaynor 3
C: T.Brown 6 S.Pendlebury - C 10 J.Noble 9
HF: O.Henry 35 M.Cox 46 W.Hoskin-Elliott 32
F: J.Elliott 5 W.Kelly 20 J.Daicos 7
Foll: B.Grundy 4 J.De Goey 2 S.Sidebottom 22
I/C: J.Thomas 24 T.Ruscoe 21 C.Brown 17 J.Madgen 44 D.Cameron 14 T.Bianco 8 L.Greenwood 19 B.Sier 36
Emerg: T.Wilson 12 C.Poulter 27 N.Murphy 28 A.Tohill 43
RICHMOND
B: D.Grimes 2 D.Astbury 12 N.Balta 21
HB: L.Baker 7 N.Vlastuin 1 J.Short 15
C: K.McIntosh 33 S.Bolton 29 J.Caddy 22
HF: J.Aarts 16 S.Edwards 10 J.Castagna 11
F: C.Coleman-Jones 40 D.Martin 4 J.Riewoldt 8
Foll: T.Nankervis 25 T.Cotchin - C 9 K.Lambert 23
I/C: D.Rioli 17 N.Broad 35 J.Graham 34 M.Pickett 50 M.Chol 41 W.Martyn 36 R.Collier-Dawkins 26 D.Eggmolesse-Smith 43
Emerg: T.Dow 27 P.Naish 6 J.Ross 5 R.Garthwaite 42