DROPPED defender Ben Reid's reaction to the news he was out of the team to play Hawthorn last Sunday was "appropriate", according to Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley. 

The coach reaffirmed the Magpies match committee decided that one tall defender had to make way after the round 14 loss against Port Adelaide and that Lynden Dunn and Tyson Goldsack were preferred against the Hawks as they were in better form than Reid. 

He said that although he would not publicly discuss conversations about selection between club and player, he understood Reid's disappointment.  

"'Reidy' has reacted appropriately in an attitude sense," Buckley said. 

Buckley said while it was true the Magpies had won just one of the eight games the premiership defender had played in 2017, there was more substance to the conversation between Buckley and the 28-year-old when he was told he was omitted.

"There is a lot more meat in the discussion that you have with a player of Reidy's experience, in regards to that sort of selection decision," Buckley said. 

"It is more than one chat too and we will sit down and continue to find the best for him and for us in good faith."

Reid had only played one game back from a quad injury and took eight marks and had 20 disposals against Port Adelaide before being dropped while Dunn had 12 disposals and took three marks.

The premiership Pie played forward and back and spent time on nine opponents while Dunn restricted Port Adelaide's Charlie Dixon. 

However against the Hawks, Dunn struggled to contain their skipper Jarryd Roughead and the Magpies conceded 17 marks inside 50 after averaging just 12 a game for the season. 

Reid went back to the VFL and was serviceable in defence.

He is in contention for an immediate recall with both Darcy Moore (hamstring tightness) and Tyson Goldsack (concussion) in doubt. 

Buckley said 21-year-old Moore would need to get through the club's main training session on Thursday to be prove his fitness and he was uncertain whether that would happen.

However, he said the long-term prognosis for Moore was promising. 

"It's actually come up a lot better than we would have anticipated," Buckley said. 

Buckley said Lachie Keeffe had performed well in the VFL in the past three weeks and would be considered while big-bodied midfielder Rupert Wills is in line for his first game for the season after a strong performance in the VFL.