Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has praised young forward Alex Fasolo for being brave enough to seek help for depression.

The Magpies forward trained on Thursday but will miss this week's game against Fremantle as he receives treatment to deal with his mental health issues.

Buckley said he was proud of the 24-year-old for making it known that he was struggling with depression.

"He's a great fella, 'Fas', and he has shown a lot of maturity with the way he has opened up to deal with it," Buckley said.

"I thought it showed great courage from him the way he has handled it."

Buckley said he hoped Fasolo's actions would be an example for anyone who was struggling to seek support.

"It has been courageous for him to put his hand up and say, 'I don't know if I can handle this on my own', and I think it is a good example for many," Buckley said.

"He is actually standing up for himself. He is actually saying, 'I need support here, I need assistance'."



Alex Fasolo looks on ahead of Collingwood's match against Essendon on ANZAC Day.

Buckley said he became aware of Fasolo's depression last week, and described the forward's effort to play against the Brisbane Lions last Sunday as sensational. 

However, he said a date for Fasolo's return to playing was unknown although he would continue to train. 

Buckley said the notion that increased scrutiny on players was causing more mental health issues was flawed, as it was a community-wide problem that had many triggers.  

He refused to buy into the controversy that a tweet from News Limited's Mark Robinson, now deleted, had caused.