CHRIS Dawes is determined to turn his new role as a part-time ruckman into a positive despite some initial misgivings.

The burly Collingwood forward is more used to kicking goals than executing hit-outs. He's booted 67 goals across his 48 senior games, and racked up 34 hit-outs.

And, while he'd prefer to be lining up for a set-shot than opposite an equally solid ruckman, he can see the benefits of taking on some of the responsibility left by retired utility Leigh Brown.

"It should get me up closer to the ball so if I'm having a quiet game, it could be handy to come on and try and have an impact and get my hands on the footy that way," Dawes told AFL.com.au this week.

"I prefer playing up forward because it's more natural to me but hopefully this ruck role is something that I can improve on and start to turn into a bit of a weapon for me."

Dawes has been used by coach Nathan Buckley as a back-up option for Darren Jolly across the pre-season, given the Pies have been low on rucking options.

Cameron Wood is not being rushed back from shoulder surgery and has only just played his first VFL practice match, while Jonathon Ceglar and Jarrod Witts are still developing.

Dawes, 23, hasn't played in the ruck much before, despite former coach Mick Malthouse "threatening" to play him there every year.

With Jolly to take the starring role, he's prepared to make the best of being his understudy as long as Buckley needs him to.

"Jolls can ruck for the most part - it's just for that 30, 40 per cent of the game that I'm rucking, maybe 20 to 30 per cent, if I'm making an impact and helping the team and playing my role in the ruck, then we can get away with having one ruckman and that gives us a bit more speed up in the forward line," he said.

"It's a role that needs to be done now that Leigh's gone because that was the job he did and I think in that sense, I'm probably best suited out of any of our other players to play that role."

Dawes' pre-season was slow starting after an ankle operation - and laser eye surgery - in the week after the Grand Final.

He was restricted by the ankle longer, and went to Arizona in late November with training limitations.

After a stuttering few weeks early this year, it started to come together in the final NAB Cup game against St Kilda at Visy Park.

He took a flying mark over Saints' defender Jason Blake and kicked two first half goals.

Dawes said the March 16 practice match had given him plenty of confidence his hard work over the summer had started to pay off.

"My pre-season was a bit up and down the past couple of months," he said.

"Form wise, the NAB Cup reflected that as well, I was slow going but then in that St Kilda game I started to find the ball a bit and felt like I was moving well, which was pleasing.

"It's put me in a really good head space coming into this week because it's meant the last two weeks at training I've had my form up and my body's been feeling good."

It's confidence Dawes needed, after his disappointing turn out in last year's Grand Final loss to Geelong.

He got his hands on the ball just 13 times, took five marks and failed to kick a goal. 

"It hurt a lot at the time and it probably hurts a tiny bit less now but time does that," he said.

"It's still going to keep hurting for awhile, I'd say.

"It's a funny thing. With Grand Final day, I don't remember much of it. It's not something I've wanted to reflect on at all."

Chris Dawes is a $357,800 forward in Toyota AFL Dream Team. Register your team here.

Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.