Collingwood confident Nick Daicos, Scott Pendlebury will return against Fremantle Dockers in Gather Round

Collingwood are confident superstar midfielder Nick Daicos and veteran Scott Pendlebury will be fit to return for a blockbuster Gather Round clash with Fremantle on Friday night.

Daicos was a late out against Brisbane on Thursday after he failed a last-minute fitness test on his corked calf at the Gabba, replaced by West Australian product Ed Allan less than 20 minutes before the game.

The back-to-back reigning premiers went on to maul the Pies by 54 points.

However, the three-time All-Australian trained with the main group on Monday and is expected to be fit to face the red-hot Dockers at Adelaide Oval following the club’s eight-day break.

It comes after Fremantle held on for a thrilling two-point victory over the Crows at the venue on Friday, their third straight win and first on the road this season, after going into the match unchanged.

The Dockers returned to Perth early on Saturday and will fly back to South Australia on Wednesday ahead of their primetime clash against the Pies, a standalone fixture on Friday during the marquee round.

Collingwood will be without captain and key defender Darcy Moore, who remains weeks away as he continues his recovery from a low-grade hamstring strain, with Fremantle’s three-pronged tall attack looming.

However, Pendlebury is firming to return from an Achilles concern in a significant boost for Craig McRae’s 2-2 side.

The Dockers (3-1) emerged from the first of their consecutive Adelaide Oval appearances unscathed, while former Pies ruckman Mason Cox pushed for selection in the WAFL.

Cox notched up 24 disposals, six marks, 45 hit outs and a goal for Peel Thunder against East Fremantle, filling his boots against inexperienced former Dockers-listed tall Eric Benning.

Dashing defender Brandon Walker returned from a quad concern through the lower level, while Fremantle are expected to take a cautious approach to star midfielder Hayden Young’s hamstring injury.

Both Collingwood and Fremantle will name their teams on Thursday.