COLLINGWOOD captain Nick Maxwell has called on all players to open up to the media after his comments on the weekend that there was an 'us versus them' mentality between the two.

Maxwell made his original comments on Melbourne radio station SEN over the weekend and re-visited the topic on Tuesday, saying there needed to be trust on both sides.

"I just think the relationship with the media is something we can really work on. Right now players tend to not give too much of themselves, they try to protect themselves too much," Maxwell said.

"I think that should we work on that relationship, supporters can get a lot more personality from the players than just stock-standard answers. I think that as players protect themselves because they are worried about the image and they are worried about how it can be perceived."

Maxwell said he encouraged his teammates to open up and avoid clichés when speaking to the media, but conceded that the idea of speaking in front of journalists didn't sit well with everyone.

"I also understand where they are coming from and I understand that some guys aren't comfortable doing it. In the same breath, the reason you are asked for your opinions is that people want to hear from you," he said.

"Some of our guys have got sensational personalities and they're really funny guys. I think if you actually saw that side of them it would be really interesting for all the fans."

Maxwell said the Magpies would be able to cover suspended forward Chris Dawes in this week's Anzac Day clash with Essendon if Dawes' appeal at Tuesday's hearing was unsuccessful.

Ruckman Darren Jolly is a chance to return from a knee injury and Maxwell said his inclusion would result in some minor tinkering to the forward structure.

"Darren Jolly thinks he's right and if he's right he can come straight back in. Maybe now it's not necessarily a swap for (Cameron) Wood or (Leigh) Brown," he said.

"One of those guys might be able to go forward.