Collingwood defender Allan Toovey will stay in hospital over the weekend following his horrific collision with Geelong ruck-forward Tom Hawkins in Friday night's AFL match.

Toovey courageously ran back with the flight of the ball in the third term and Hawkins, who was charging in the opposite direction, ran into him during the Magpies three-point loss to the Cats.

Play was stopped for several minutes while Toovey was stretchered from the field.

Toovey was immediately taken to hospital, but the damage was much less than first feared.

"Toovey is recovering well having suffered bruising to the chest region which hospital staff will monitor," the Magpies said in a statement.

"He also suffered some minor facial cuts and bruising."

The Magpies also lost ruck-forward Leigh Brown late in the game with a bruised calf.

Captain Nick Maxwell was a late withdrawal from the match with his calf injury.

There were rumours on Friday night that Maxwell's injury might be more serious than a muscle problem, something coach Mick Malthouse denied.

He is hopeful Maxwell will come back for next Sunday's Etihad Stadium match against Adelaide.

Malthouse said the Magpies paid in the first quarter for losing their structure, a formidable part of last year's premiership.

Like the Cats, Collingwood were unbeaten this season and had not lost any games since round 22 last year.

"We might have gotten hold of them a little bit in the second quarter, but I thought they were pretty good for most of the night," Malthouse said of Geelong.

"We were pretty fresh a few weeks ago and (on Friday night) we played like crusty, stale old players in that first quarter.

"We struggled to get complete control of the game.

"We paid a penalty for not winning enough of the football in the first quarter, paid a penalty in the third quarter for not capitalising a couple of times and the last quarter, it was just a slog."

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP