Shaw and Fraser did not join the 24-man squad at Gosch's Paddock, but midfielder Scott Pendlebury assured Magpies' fans that both would be right to face the Saints as part of a full-strength team.
“They just had an individualised program inside today and I'd expect both players to play tomorrow night,” Pendlebury said after training.
“A lot of guys do that, miss today's (final) session and freshen up. We trust our fitness staff and they'll get everyone up.”
Prestigiacomo trained without apparent discomfort after missing last week's win over Melbourne. His return will be a huge boost for a Collingwood backline that will try to contain a rampaging Nick Riewoldt, who has booted 15 goals in his past three matches against the Pies.
“I think most sides struggle with Nick but we’re going to back our defence and hopefully we can shut down the ball use that comes in from their midfield and try to restrict them that way,” Pendlebury said.
Shane O'Bree, who seems a strong chance to return from a virus, Brent Macaffer, John McCarthy and Chris Dawes were the other Magpies absent from last week's win who joined training.
And Pendlebury ensured all eyes will be on the two teams’ line-ups when they are announced on Thursday night, with the midfielder saying the Pies were expecting injured Saint Sam Fisher to make a sooner-than-expected return to the field.
Fisher injured an ankle in the NAB Cup grand final last month and was expected to miss up to six weeks. Earlier this week Saints coach Ross Lyon said his star defender was still some way off resuming. But Pendlebury believes otherwise.
“We know that their best side is going to be playing tomorrow night,” he said.
“Sam Fisher, an insider’s got to us, and you know we expect him to play as well, so they’re going to be a pretty full-strength side.”
Luke Ball will play his first match for premiership points against his old club, although Pendlebury said the former Saint was treating the game as any other.
He also said Ball and fellow new recruit Darren Jolly would take time to exert the maximum influence for their new club, but Friday night’s blockbuster might be the perfect occasion for them to step up.
“I think Bally’s leading our tackle count and Jols has been quite good with his ruck work,” Pendlebury said.
“Two games into a new side, it’s always going to be different and we expect their seasons to be pretty good for us and help us out in these sort of big games.”
St Kilda has beaten Collingwood convincingly its past three matches and the Pies are eager to rectify its recent record.
“It’s important … [because of] the quality of side that they are,” Pendlebury said.
“We want to really test ourselves against that quality and for us to be held [in the regard that] we want to be held, we’ve got to knock these sides off.
“They’re a great side, they’re a very team-orientated side and that’s something that we’re aspiring to get like and hopefully tomorrow night we can match them.”
