Collingwood coach Craig McRae has rated Scott Pendlebury's chances of playing on with the Magpies next year as "50-50".
Pendlebury's season is likely over after suffering a hamstring injury in the thumping loss to the Brisbane Lions last Friday night.
Collingwood will need to win at least their wildcard match against the Western Bulldogs this Friday night, then an elimination final for Pendlebury to be even an outside chance of taking the field again in 2026.
After a VFL/AFL record 442 games, Pendlebury is weighing up whether he tries to continue on and play for a 22nd season.
The 38-year-old has long maintained he will hold off a decision until season's end, with the outside possibility of him playing at Gold Coast as an effective on-field coach.
McRae denied there was any friction between Pendlenbury and the club about what should happen ahead of the 2027 campaign.
"It's probably just 50-50," McRae said on Wednesday.
"I can see opportunities for him to play on and retire. I'm sure he's weighing up a lot of those things.
"Having these conversations with 'Pendles' the last four or five years around what's best for him and what's best for us gives me great comfort that he'll do what is best for the footy club.
"He won't go on and play on, in my eyes, unless he can perform at a certain level. So that gives you great comfort to say, 'Hey, over to you, mate'."
But McRae acknowledged it wouldn't just be Pendlebury's decision alone if he was to keep going.
"Not entirely, but mostly led by conversations with him," McRae said.
"We're an open dialogue around that. I'm giving him some space, as he's requested, but he'll make the decision at the end of the year."
Collingwood have made a request to the AFL to have Pendlebury sit in the box with coaches on Friday night.
The dual premiership winner's coaching nous and ability is well recognised at the club, and across the league.
"It helps me when I get a little bit too excited, or a little bit angry at times," McRae said of Pendlebury.
"He's very balanced, and that's probably the testament when when there's the hustle and bustle of 100,000 people and big moments in games.
"He's just been able to just stay in a real calm, level space."
Joining Pendlebury on the sidelines will be defender Brayden Maynard, who suffered a knee injury at training on Saturday.
Maynard was preparing to return from a shoulder problem against the Bulldogs before the latest setback.
Wingman Pat Lipinski and premiership defender Isaac Quaynor are likely to be back for the historic wildcard game.
McRae admitted the club had learned some lessons from their failed attempt to recruit Port Adelaide star Zak Butters.
After officially confirming he was leaving the Power, Butters swiftly ruled out trying to move to Collingwood.
Geelong appear in the box seat to land the triple All-Australian, with the Bulldogs and Richmond also in the running.
"We want to be a club that players want to come and play at," McRae said.
"I think just offering the MCG as a, I suppose, carrot -- we need to be more than that.
"I think we've got a lot of layers to us and we've got a lot to offer."