Toovey has had a knee reconstruction and will miss the rest of the year. Reid said his low profile teammate will be hard to replace in defence.
"He's probably our best lock down defender in the team so to lose him it is going to be hard to fill," Reid said.
With the emphasis on Collingwood conceding big scores against premiership contenders Hawthorn and Essendon in two of the past three weeks, Reid said it wasn't just an issue for the back six.
He said the whole team needed to lift their defensive efforts.
He said teammate Scott Pendlebury's use of the word cheating to describe the efforts of the midfield after last Thursday's game wasn't a bad thing.
Reid admitted that at times the team has not shut down the opposition and "been an honest football team."
"We've probably tried to run forward a little bit thinking we were going to get on the end of it when we haven't," Reid said.
The Pies concede an average of 106 points a game and are only ahead of Melbourne when it comes to points conceded at stoppages, giving up 235 points so far this season.
When it comes to scoring from stoppages, the Pies lead only Fremantle, Greater Western Sydney, the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions for the season.
"These days it's not just the back six," Reid said "It's the full ground defence that wins games and again it's about the team working together as one and really pushing that."
The Magpies look likely to regain Darren Jolly this week and Andrew Krakouer is a strong chance to return. Ben Sinclair – who played against Essendon – was training before the senior team along with injured stars Luke Ball, Nick Maxwell, Alan Didak and Ben Johnson.
Reid said he had not even looked at the controversial umpiring decision that saw him concede a free kick to Tom Bellchambers in front of goal last Thursday. However he must have known what he had done because he said he would need to adapt to stop conceding such free kicks in the future.
"It's one of those things where you have got to adapt as a player and the rules. As it says it's two actions," Reid said.
"I honestly haven't had a look at it since the game. Obviously at the game I was a bit angry [but] it's one of those things you have to adapt to."
He also indicated he was chance to play on the Saints in-form skipper Nick Riewoldt when he said he expected to be in for plenty of running on Friday night when Collingwood takes on St Kilda.
"[He's been] a great player for a long time … [he's] well and truly back to his best and he is running around like a thoroughbred that he is," Reid said.
Reid refused to buy into the discussion that Essendon players looked bigger last year and their changed shapes were causing comment from opposition clubs.
"I never really thought they looked bigger or anything like that," Reid said.
"Every team does weights, you don't really think about that sort of stuff. To their credit they have improved and Essendon are playing some fantastic football this year."
