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Sydney defender Robbie Fox is relishing a chance to tackle close friend Brody Mihocek, especially after a finger injury ruined the start of his AFL season.

Robbie Fox will tackle good mate Brody Mihocek on Saturday, when four AFL premiership points and bragging rights will be up for grabs in the SCG clash between Sydney and Collingwood.

Fox made a belated start to the season in the Swans' round-eight loss to Melbourne at the MCG, where he returned from a finger tendon injury that required surgery.

It had been a frustrating two-month stint on the sidelines, coming after an uncertain off-season in which the defender was delisted then relisted as a rookie.

But Fox has pulled up well from his comeback game and, depending on match-ups, may soon find himself on Magpies forward Mihocek.

The pair have been close since they attended Marist Regional College; they did pre-season running sessions together to keep fit while back in Tasmania during the most recent Christmas break.

"We got to play on each other for the first time last year, which was pretty cool," Fox said.

"Once the game starts, you block that side of it out. All our mates from back home are the ones really into the game, watching every touch to see who does better.

"I don't usually chirp on the footy field and Brody's definitely not chirpy either, but he came out and started chirping a fair bit last year. So that was quite funny to see a different side.

"Every game we've played against each other, Collingwood have won. So it'd be nice to get the chocolates."

Fox felt rusty against the Demons and disappointed to not secure a win, but thrilled to be on the park.

"The doctor told me I'd snapped a tendon. I was thinking that meant two, three or four weeks out," the 28-year-old said.

"They said I needed surgery and it'd be eight to 10 weeks.

"I was quite disappointed ... and I couldn't use my right arm for about six weeks, which was frustrating.

"It helped that it happened before the season started; we set a goal of eight weeks.

"But you never know how tendons are going to react; it could have gone out to 12-14 weeks."

Fox enjoyed a career-best season in 2020, playing 14 games, but was dumped from the Swans' squad then shifted onto the club's rookie list via a new rule.

"Everyone was a bit unsure last year. Nobody really knew what list sizes, salary cap and other things were going to be," Fox said.

"I was just one of the ones stuck in limbo.

"But it all got worked out. It got blown out of proportion."