Collingwood are confident that the three players injured in their Friday night AFL shocker against Geelong will be fit for next Saturday's qualifying final.

Chris Tarrant hurt his ankle and Travis Cloke and Ben Johnson suffered minor injuries in the 96-point loss.

But Magpies football manager Geoff Walsh said on Saturday the trio were not in doubt for next Saturday afternoon's clash against West Coast at the MCG.

"The good thing is that everyone who had a niggle last night has pulled up pretty well, and to the extent they'll be able to play next week," Walsh told 3AW.

In further good news for the reigning premiers, Walsh added captain Nick Maxwell and fellow defender Leon Davis should be available for recalls.

Maxwell has been out of action with a thumb injury and Davis missed the Geelong game because of a hamstring injury.

Another player who will push hard for a recall is Heath Shaw, who is eligible for selection after serving his eight-game gambling suspension.

Maxwell went through his paces earlier on Friday in a scratch match organised by the club for players vying for senior selection.

Midfield star Dale Thomas will be the one glaring absentee from next Saturday's game as he completes a two-match suspension.

The overall good news about player availability and the dead rubber nature of Friday night's game means not much should be read into the massive loss.

It was Geelong's biggest winning margin over Collingwood and the Magpies' biggest losing margin since 2005.

The Cats are also the only side to have beaten the minor premiers this year, also accounting for them in round eight.

But Collingwood clearly took their foot off the accelerator midway through the game when it became clear the Cats would win.

"We will not be the first nor last side that this has happened to - I don't mean the magnitude of the loss, but a loss in the last game," coach Mick Malthouse said.

"It won't be fatal, but you don't want it to be hanging around either, so we will lick our wounds and we will pick the best side we can.

"I sincerely hope that's not us and our history has shown this year that it's not us.

"So we take the good with the bad - we were bad (on Friday night) and we've been pretty good for a long period of time."

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