The Pies are also considering promoting forward/midfielder Kyle Martin for his first game of the season – in what would be their fifth change – for what is regarded as a mini final against Adelaide at the MCG on Sunday.

The Pies are upgrading him onto their senior list, suggesting he is a strong chance to play.

Retired ex-skipper Nick Maxwell and Dane Swan (foot) are the only confirmed outs – the first time both have been out since round 12, 2006, a game in which coach Nathan Buckley was a 33-year-old captain marshalling a memorable win over reigning premier Sydney. Tom Langdon is also a possibility to be rested.

Broomhead’s promotion is well timed, given that he is out of contract and on the Crows' and Port Adelaide's radars, those clubs confirming on Wednesday that they have been following the progress of the South Australian, whom the Pies are confident of retaining and are keen to play in some of the remaining games.

Reid, who has had calf and quadricep problems, has not played a senior game this year and is expected to be picked, provided he suffers no further setbacks, while Elliott has recovered from a hamstring injury.

Port Adelaide’s football operations manager, Peter Rohde, and Adelaide list manager David Noble both confirmed  their clubs were monitoring Broomhead, as they did all former South Australians.

Broomhead has been among the best in the VFL, where his pace and kicking ability have stood out.

Rookie-listed Martin is also out of contract at season’s end, having struggled to break into the side, despite strong VFL performances.

If, as expected, Reid plays forward, the inclusions of he and Elliott would give Collingwood a more threatening attack on paper than it has had for much of 2014, when it has been heavily reliant on power forward Travis Cloke and Elliott, until his injury.

Keeffe will be needed down back against Adelaide’s three tall forwards, the Pies having struggled when an undersized Maxwell was pitted against Jake Carlisle.

Buckley refused to put a ceiling on what could be eked out of the rest of a 2014 campaign that began full of promise but has staggered into critical territory with a lone win from the past five outings.

He spoke of his team as if it had an identity crisis, and he challenged his players to show who they really are.

''We’re not putting a cap on what we’re capable of but, at the same time, it comes down to actions,'' Buckley said. ''Actions are the things you’re judged on, the things that people see. We’ve got to get the job done.

''We’re looking in front of us and making sure we’re very set to take on the Crows, and bringing the heat and intensity we saw in the first six or seven rounds of our season, and it has [only] been there in dribs and drabs since.

''But which one are we? We’ve got to make that decision.''

Reid’s versatility makes him a key defensive and forward target option, and while Buckley welcomes his long-awaited return, he emphasised that only an across-the-board commitment to redressing a contested-possession slide would bring a change of fortune.

''If you have a look at our stats, our contested-possession differential or pressure differential, the ability to pressure the opposition, we’ve gone from pretty well first in the comp early in the year to bottom four. That’s really clear where our focus lies,'' he said.

''Reidy stands up. He’s as important to our structure this week as he was last week, a month ago, two months ago, but he’s only one player. And he’s lightly raced. He’s [only] had a couple of games back [at] VFL level.

''Jamie [Elliott] mentioned our best football being good enough, and we believe that – if we didn’t believe that, we wouldn’t be rocking up. But we’ve got to play, we’ve got to demonstrate it. There’s got to be actions to back up our words, to back up our feelings and beliefs.

''It’s a long season. We’ve started really well, we’ve had a dip, [now] we want to finish it strongly.''

The Magpies are eighth on the ladder, ahead of Gold Coast on percentage and one win clear of the Crows, but their coach refused to be drawn on whether missing the finals would amount to a wasted season.

''I’d feel like we’ve wasted an opportunity if we don’t perform well on Sunday, that’s really where we have to put all our energy into. Finals are six weeks away for us – if we qualify. If we earn the right.

''Whatever happens to us in season 2014 will be dictated by our next six weeks. We can’t do anything about what’s brought us to this point. But, ultimately, we’ll get what we deserve and what we earn.''