Collingwood vice-captain James Clement believes the club is much better placed for September success than they were 12 months ago.

The Magpies face a do-or-die elimination final against Sydney on Saturday night, a similar situation to last year, where they crashed out of the finals.

But Clement said the team has grown in the year following the 41-point thrashing at the hands of the Western Bulldogs, with fewer injuries and an exciting band of youngsters in the line-up.

"I would suggest that we're mentally and physically a little better off than we were this time last year," Clement said.

"We've got a number of players that have played a finals series and are that year older and know what to expect and the intensity that we're going to expect."

He was also thrilled with how the club's younger players such as Scott Pendlebury, Travis Cloke, Dale Thomas and Harry O'Brien, as well as the nine Magpie debutants, have come along.

"I think that they've taken giants steps this year to prove that they are vital parts of the machine," Clement said.

"We're not worried about age or experience or anything like that. You play your role, you know your role and we're expecting them to do that this weekend."

While club president Eddie McGuire has savaged the All-Australian selectors for not including any Collingwood players in the initial 40-man squad from which the final team is chosen, Clement suggested it may have something to do with the team's even spread of contributors.

Clement did however label the eight-man panel's decision to exclude Tarkyn Lockyer and Heath Shaw as "very surprising".

"I suppose that is a good accolade for us, that although we aren't able to get any All-Australians in that final 40, we're still able to finish in the top eight," Clement said.

"I suppose that is a testament to the evenness of the side and the contribution that each player has made this year."

The Magpies are hopeful ruckman Josh Fraser will be fit to face the Swans at the MCG.

Fraser has not played since round 19 due to an ankle injury, but Clement said the ruckman was in the 30-man squad from which the final lineup will be chosen.

"He trained well again today, which he has in the past few weeks and still hasn't played," Clement said.

"I would imagine if he's fit he would certainly be an inclusion."

Alan Didak (hip) and Sean Rusling (corked thigh) also completed training today and are in line to return.

Collingwood have won their past three games against the Swans, including both meetings in 2007, games Thomas believed gave them an advantage going into the match.

"I suppose we can draw on those games for a few things ... we'll be looking over the games and trying to fine tune a few things," Thomas said.

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