Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley backs Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes to regain touch

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has backed struggling forwards Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes to return to form quickly.

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has conceded Travis Cloke and Chris Dawes are "not in cracking nick", but backed the struggling forwards to return to form quickly.

Buckley also said the Magpies' undermanned defence could be bolstered by the return of Chris Tarrant or Nathan Brown - maybe both - for Sunday's clash with Gold Coast at the MCG.

Cloke's 19.10 return this season has him 15th on the Coleman Medal tally, but his four-possession effort against Adelaide last weekend - following quiet performances against Geelong, Brisbane and the Western Bulldogs - has created questions about his output.

Dawes has kicked only 4.9 this season as he continues to juggle a part-time ruck role.

But Buckley yesterday said he was not concerned.

"We just want them to work hard in front of the ball to keep creating options," he said.

"When we get slowed down they're clearly presenting really well down the line for us - they compete and they create ground ball for our players - so they are playing their role in that regard.

"We just expect them to work away and we understand that eventually their time will come.

"If there was a work rate issue I'd be concerned, but there's not. You go through periods of up and down form, periods where things will fall for you or they don't.

"I've got no doubt, if they maintain their work ethic and their preparation and their standards in both of those regards, that it will turn for them. They prepare now as hard as they ever have and that's pleasing to see."

Buckley also hosed down talk that contract speculation about Cloke was hampering his form, citing Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield as an example of a player who maintained his on-field standards while negotiating.

Buckley said he would have a better idea tomorrow of the likelihood of Tarrant (calf) and Brown (knee) returning from injury, but said the defensive duo had given themselves every chance to play after extra conditioning sessions over the weekend.

"They ran around pretty well today and they'll stake claims in the main session in a couple of days, but we're still waiting for the dust to settle a little," he said.

Buckley said Tarrant and Brown would not be held back because Collingwood was playing the winless Suns and insisted no other players would be rested.

Brownlow medallist Dane Swan (hamstring) remains a chance to play in Round 11 against Melbourne, but Buckley said defender Ben Reid would not play until after the club's Round 12 bye.