Collingwood veteran Shane O'Bree has warned their premiership rivals the Magpies have regained their intimidating psyche ahead of the AFL finals.

The Magpies have won their past three games despite missing stars Alan Didak, Rhyce and Heath Shaw because of suspensions.

O'Bree said his side had returned to harassing their opponents into making mistakes. It proved to a successful game plan against reigning premiers Geelong in round nine, handing the Cats their only loss for the year by 86 points.

"We're back to playing the footy that we like to play and that is intimidating teams, putting the pressure on and making the most of the turnovers," O'Bree said.

"We're just playing as a team and not relying on too many individuals."

A win against Fremantle on Friday night at Subiaco would lift the Magpies into fourth place.

Should North Melbourne lose to Port Adelaide, Collingwood would claim the all-important double chance for the finals.

O'Bree acknowledged the Dockers would be keen to damage the Magpies' ambitions of finishing fourth.

He also added the Dockers would lift for the retiring Mark Johnson, while enigmatic forward Jeff Farmer and midfielder Josh Carr will reportedly play their last games for Fremantle on Friday night.

"We can finish top four but Freo have got a lot of blokes that are retiring so they're going to be out to beat us as well," O'Bree said.

"I've been in that position before where Collingwood was down the bottom of the ladder and you're playing just to knock a team off and wreck their finals chances, so they'll be fired up, so it's a matter of us taking them on early."

O'Bree admitted his team would sorely miss captain Scott Burns, who is out with a calf injury.

While the Magpies have denied reports Burns' injury will keep him out for the entire finals series, he could miss the first final after the 33-year-old missed three weeks with a calf complaint earlier this year.

O'Bree, who said Burns was not depressed about the injury layoff, was hopeful the rest this weekend would allow him to recover in time for next weekend's first final.

"He's obviously just walking at this stage but he'll have a long break," O'Bree said.

"Flying's not the best thing for it so he'll just freshen up over the weekend and get it right so hopefully run next week and play next weekend."

Collingwood bad boy Alan Didak is clearly still much-loved at the club, after teammates put his name up for the AFL Players Association most valuable player award.

Despite his much-publicised off-field misdemeanour early this month, in which he was handed a club-imposed suspension, Didak's teammates have chosen him as one of their three contenders for one of the game's most respected awards.

Forward Paul Medhurst has also been nominated, demonstrating he has well and truly earned the respect of his fellow Magpies after crossing from Fremantle last year.

Geelong have overlooked reigning Brownlow medallist Jimmy Bartel and the game's undisputed premier fullback Matthew Scarlett.

Gary Ablett, Joel Corey and second year player Joel Selwood were favoured for the Cats' three nominations.

Among the chances to vie for the award with Ablett are Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin, Bulldogs midfielder Adam Cooney and North Melbourne's Brent Harvey.

Sydney captain Brett Kirk was his side's nominee for the Robert Rose award for the most courageous player.

He will battle it out with others including Brisbane captain Jonathan Brown, Hawthorn's Luke Hodge and Richmond's Matthew Richardson. Fremantle's Rhys Palmer, Richmond's Trent Cotchin, Carlton's Matthew Kreuzer, Geelong's Harry Taylor and Hawthorn's Cyril Rioli are among the nominees for the best first year player award. AAP