Collingwood have been dealt a double blow ahead of their wildcard match with veteran Scott Pendlebury and tough defender Brayden Maynard already ruled out.

Pendlebury was ruled out in the second quarter of Friday night’s 63-point loss to Brisbane with what the Magpies described as a “knee bursa”.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Collingwood coach Craig McRae speaks out on Wildcard Round

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On Saturday morning, the club said the 38-year-old actually suffered a hamstring injury and will miss the next 2-3 weeks.

Maynard, meanwhile, suffered a fresh MCL strain at training on Saturday morning. It’s the same knee he previously hurt.

These are obviously disappointing setbacks for both Scott and Brayden,” Collingwood footy boss Charlie Gardiner said.

“Scott experienced tightness in the back of his knee during last night’s game. Scans earlier today confirmed a hamstring strain and we expect Scott to be sidelined for two to three weeks.

“Brayden unfortunately left the track early this morning during a training session, with scans confirming he sustained a grade one MCL strain. This is the same knee but unrelated to his earlier injury.

“These are unfortunate setbacks especially at this time of year but Scott and Brayden are absolute professionals and will do all they can to get back as quickly as possible.”

Scott Pendlebury left the MCG looking pensive after sitting out much of the match with Brisbane. Credit: AAP

With the Pies needing to win at least two knockout finals, and potentially three, for Pendlebury to be available again, there are now doubts whether he will play another game.

Pendlebury, who is out of contract, is keen to play on in 2027, though there are different views within the Collingwood setup as to whether he is worthy of a list spot.

The situation remains very delicate, given the iconic status Pendlebury boasts within and outside the club. 

Friday night’s clash was the 442nd match of his Hall of Fame career.

But experts have questioned why he was even playing given it was effectively a dead rubber for the Pies.

“Did they just think, we’ll treat it as a mini training run and that’s better than putting our players through a training run? That’s the only sort of counterview that I can give you,” Channel 7 commentator Kane Cornes said on SEN.

“I just wouldn’t have played both Daicos boys, (Darcy) Cameron, (Jordan) De Goey, probably (Billy) Frampton.

“We said that during the week, a lot of people did. So, it was a strange call.

“Pendlebury as well is an ongoing issue for him because his body is starting to break down now.

“But if he’s not fresh, if he’s not off a rest, he’s starting to get those niggles and those injuries that bob up.

“We saw him do a calf in a big final last year, so they got some concerns over him, and you wouldn’t be thinking that he’s gonna be able to get through four quarters of high quality, high intensity finals footy for the rest of the year.”

Essendon made a play for the left-footer, though it was knocked back, while Gold Coast is understood to have expressed interest in the two-time premiership player joining as a free agent.

Speaking to 7NEWS and SEN on Friday, player agent Anthony Panozzo from Hemisphere Management Group said a call on the veteran’s next move has been delayed until after Collingwood’s last game. 

“A decision on Scott’s future will be made post season,” Panozzo said.

Collingwood will play either Carlton or the Western Bulldogs in a blockbuster wildcard final.

The Magpies were conservative with Isaac Quaynor and Patrick Lipinski, who Collingwood expect to return next week.

Collingwood also managed the game time of Nick Daicos and Darcy Cameron in anticipation of the wildcard game, which McRae insisted felt like a final. 

“Well I’ll tell you one thing — if Carlton beat Freo tomorrow and the Bulldogs lose I think it’ll feel like a final,” McRae said.

“It’ll be a big crowd here - don’t you worry about that and we’ll absolutely understand what we’re in now.

“It’s knockout so when you get into match play - we’ll get busy on what that looks like to beat whatever opposition’s in front of us and it’ll feel like a final.”

— with AAP