COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse has given his strongest indication yet that vice-captain Josh Fraser will be given more of a running, roaming role from next season.

With the Magpies adding Sydney Swans star Darren Jolly to their list during the trade period - and with Cameron Wood continuing to develop - Collingwood’s ruck stocks suddenly appear in good shape.

And with that, Fraser’s wonky knees might be given a reprieve.

Speaking exclusively to afl.com.au, Malthouse said the acquisition of Jolly meant squeezing three ruckmen into the side suddenly became a tougher prospect.

“Josh might play as a ruck rover. He might play as a half-forward,” Malthouse said.

For much of this decade, the former No.1 draft pick has carried the ruck duties for Collingwood.

But the workload has taken a toll in recent years.

Fraser, 28 in January, missed two of his side’s three finals in 2009 and has missed Collingwood’s past two preliminary finals.

He is also likely to have a slightly delayed start to pre-season this year as he rests a medial ligament injury to a knee that has troubled him for much of the past two seasons.

Many Magpie fans will now be wondering whether the coach will play Jolly, Fraser and the fast-developing Wood in the one side next year.

Malthouse was non-committal on that prospect, but didn’t rule it out.

“They’ve got to prove that,” he said.

“There’ll be opportunities but that’s got to be proven. I’m not a soothsayer that suggests for one moment that the three are going to be all the best players in the one side.”

Malthouse was reluctant to play two specialist ruckmen in 2009, with Fraser and Wood playing together just five times.

The Pies made Jolly, 200cm and 105kg, their No.1 priority during the AFL’s trade week period.

He is certain to be the club’s new starting ruckman.

Malthouse said stats from recent years suggested the club needed to address its work around the stoppages.

“We finished 15th overall in the ruck tap department, and we haven’t improved on that in seven or eight years,” he said.

“We just haven’t been able to get our hands on it first, and yet our clearance rate is very high, and that’s a credit to the players that are in there.

“This is no whack about the blokes that are rucking, but simply we are rucking against some massively, big players who have got quality.

“I suppose people reading this article may point the finger at Josh but that’s to the contrary, because Josh is a 20 possession-getting player. Very few ruckmen get anywhere near that. Josh can’t do it by himself.”

Malthouse said the Pies were also delighted with Wood’s progress and were certain he would get better.

“But we really needed to give Josh and Cameron some really solid back-up and, more importantly, someone who if you’re going to trade 14th position, can take over,” he said of Jolly.

“He’s a premiership ruckman … he’s competed against the best ruckmen and performed very well. We believe he will give us more offensive clearances.”