For most AFL players, being axed from a grand final side would be the ultimate low in life.

But when that happened to Tyson Goldsack last week, the 23-year-old didn't have any trouble putting it into perspective.

"I was at a training camp with him and a group of say six or seven other young lads a few years ago now," Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse recalled.

"Anyway, he got a phone call to say one of his cousins had a serious motorbike accident and ... became a quadriplegic.

"When he was out of the side (last week) he spoke to his cousin and looked where the cousin is and he looked where he was and put things straight back into perspective."

Through the plight of his cousin, Goldsack knows just how quickly life can change.

Now he has experienced it first-hand.

Last week's drawn grand final opened the door for Goldsack to receive the ultimate reprieve, with the defender earning a dream recall for Saturday's re-match against St Kilda at the expense of forward Leon Davis.

Malthouse has no doubt Goldsack will grab his opportunity with both hands, saying the grand final replay should be treasured by all players.

"Goldy would treat this as a bonus of life and that's the way it should be given where his cousin is," Malthouse said.

"We've been (saying) another week (of football and) how hard is it ..."

"This sort of stuff pales into insignificance compared to some people who've had tragedies and so forth.

"This is a great bonus for anyone who wants to play in two grand finals in two weeks - it's every kid's dream.

"It's a great opportunity to play before another full house, MCG, great spring day and we represent so many people at both clubs.

"It's an opportunity, a great opportunity."

Malthouse said Davis, who has now failed to fire in three grand finals and wasn't even named as an emergency, accepted his axing.

"He understands. There's been very few players, if any, that haven't accepted the judgment of the match committee," Malthouse said.

"I just thought we needed a little bit more coverage ... we just seemed to be caught that one defender short on the weekend.

"Goldy was stiff two weeks ago to come out of the side.

"It was more a reflection of what we wanted to do structurally.

"We've altered that marginally now."

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