Top-placed Collingwood could begin their AFL finals campaign almost injury-free with coach Mick Malthouse forecasting a quick return for skipper Nick Maxwell.

Malthouse indicated Maxwell could be back from a thumb fracture in time for the first final, while Sharrod Wellingham, Chris Tarrant and Luke Ball are virtual certainties, along with the suspended Heath Shaw.

Aside from the possible suspension of Dale Thomas, the Magpies could start the finals with no notable absentees apart from long-term knee injury casualties Nathan Brown and Brad Dick.

"We will have the availability of Heath Shaw, Nick Maxwell apparently is only another week away or thereabouts," Malthouse said on Melbourne's SEN radio on Sunday.

"It has been a remarkable recovery and that is not unusual for Nick, he's a very quick recoverer.

"And we've got the three boys (Wellingham, Ball and Tarrant) that are out currently, who I would say aren't far away from coming in next week, or certainly the first finals game.

"We have got a juggling act, there's no question about that."

The three-time premiership coach was also delighted with key forward Chris Dawes' return from a seven-game absence with a hand injury, against Fremantle on Friday night.

While Dawes had just seven disposals, two marks and no goals, Malthouse said those results would come, but the support he gave fellow key forward Travis Cloke was crucial.

The coach said Cloke had been forced to do too much work in Dawes' absence.

"I just watched the way Travis and Chris worked together and it was back to that association where one could work better with the other one," Malthouse said.

"It's nothing against the other boys, but they work much better together and as I said to Chris, the great thing about it was he actually got to where the ball was.

"He didn't mark everything, he didn't actually have the possession rates and his shot on goal was dismal ... (but) he got where the ball was andTravis wasn't with him and I think that's so important for us."

Malthouse said neither he nor his players would hold anything back in terms of game plan or intensity for Friday night's finals "rehearsal" against Geelong.

But he said something might be held back at selection, or in positions players were posted.

"The team we pick will be not necessarily the best one we can put on the park, but the best one that gives us the advantage for the following week," he said.

Meanwhile, Malthouse did nothing to dampen widespread speculation he will not be with Collingwood in his contracted director of coaching role next year.

He said clarifying the job description for a post he agreed in 2009 to move into next year was "the last thing on my mind" and speculation about his future was "annoying".

"It could be sitting there for the next month, for all I care, it's something I won't even be worried about," Malthouse said.

"I've got greater issues in front of me."

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