COLLINGWOOD captain Nick Maxwell will miss selection for Friday night's clash with Geelong at the MCG - but only by a whisker.

The Magpies' skipper, who broke his thumb in round 21 and required surgery, is ahead of schedule in his recovery but didn't take part on Thursday's training session with the rest of the squad. 

He will play in a practice match earlier on Friday.

Coach Mick Malthouse said Maxwell was "miles in front" of where he should have been and would be available for the Magpies' first final against West Coast.

"How close are we? He won't play [Friday] night but he's one or two days off, that's all," he said.

Malthouse said Maxwell's position as a defender could help decide whether he made an earlier than expected return.

"People have said it will take seven weeks and whatever … I think it's such an individual thing," Malthouse said.

"Some people can put up with the inconvenience but I'm also very mindful of the fact where he plays.

"I know [former Essendon captain] Matthew Lloyd said it took him seven weeks. Well, he is a hard, leading player who has to catch the thing first up, otherwise it just gets punched away from him.

"Nick is a little bit different, he plays at the other end of the ground, he can play forward, but basically he can form a fist, can punch the ball.

"We've just got to make sure we're right in our own mind and in his mind. I'm pretty sure the surgeon will be okay about it."

Leon Davis ran laps at training on Thursday but Malthouse said the defender rarely did much the day before a game, while Sharrod Wellingham, Luke Ball and Chris Tarrant trained and were strong possibilities to return.

Malthouse dismissed the argument that a win in round 24 against another contender would give his team a psychological edge going into the finals.

"You can say yes. History will say no," he said.

"Simply, games I've played in, premierships, we've been smashed in the last round and won it.

"The other times you can win it and perhaps not get there.

"There's too many scenarios that can take place. The idea is not to lose form because you've elected not to lose form, that's the most important one, individually."

He also said while the club had spent the week focused on Geelong, it was hard to ignore the fact the Pies' first finals opponent in West Coast had already been confirmed.

"You always keep your structures in place for the games in front of you," he said.

"You can take your eye off it, but the reality is we know who we play, so it's human nature to say we play Geelong tomorrow night and then we play West Coast, and Geelong play us and then they play Hawthorn.

"You can't disguise that. It's just simply taking one step at a time."

Jennifer Witham coves Collingwood news for the AFL Website. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham