LEON Davis is expected to return to Melbourne in the next two days to resume training with Collingwood.

Rumours swept the football world on Tuesday that Davis had quit Collingwood, but football manager Geoff Walsh said he had been in Western Australia on bereavement leave.

"Leon has been given a couple of weeks leave of absence," Walsh said.

"He has had some pretty difficult family issues to deal with. One including a death and another a serious illness."

Walsh said Davis was always set to return after visiting his family.

"We are quite comfortable to give him the time to be with his family in Perth," Walsh said.

"He spent a couple of weeks away with them and I think is going through a process of consoling people and dealing with it himself. He is on his way back from Perth and he will be back in Melbourne either tomorrow or the next day."

Davis had earned a reputation for going missing in big finals after quiet performances in the 2002 and 2003 grand final losses to the Brisbane Lions.

He had a career-best season in 2009, earning All Australian selection but his name surfaced in several trade rumours before he signed a two-year deal with the Magpies.

The 29-year-old missed just one home and away game in 2010 but was a late withdrawal from the preliminary final due to hamstring soreness and replaced by Tyson Goldsack.

He was recalled for the drawn grand final at Goldsack's expense but the roles were once again reversed for the replay when Goldsack came back in to the side.

His role as a small forward for the Magpies had seen him face stiff competition from emerging youngsters Jarryd Blair and Brent Macaffer as well as new recruit and close friend Andrew Krakouer.