Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has applauded the “courageous stance” of forward Alex Fasolo to go public with his mental health battle.

Fasolo will miss Sunday’s AFL clash against Fremantle in Perth, with Buckley saying the cry for help this week emphasised the need “to keep looking out for each other.”

“Alex has been exemplary in his openness and communication of his depression and letting people in on it,” Buckley said on Thursday.

“We’ve got great people at the footy club who are experts in this field and will continue to work with him and other boys and staff around the area of mental health.”

Fasolo’s mental health fight has potentially opened the way for Collingwood to debut one of two famous sons of guns against the Dockers.

Forward Callum Brown, son of former skipper Gavin, and midfielder Josh Daicos, son of goalkicking maestro Peter, are among a group Buckley named as possible replacements.

Others in contention include former Docker Chris Mayne, ruck-forward Mason Cox and youngster Ben Crocker.

“We’re relatively healthy, so we know we’ve got options to go to,” said Buckley.

“We’ve got five or six guys who have been performing well.”

Buckley said increased player scrutiny on social media could not be blamed as the sole reason for clinical depression.

“There’s no doubt there’s high scrutiny, but there’s plenty of reasons why people might be diseased mentally. And I think making the assumption that scrutiny brings it about is flawed,” he said.

“There’s plenty of people in the general population that struggle with mental health and depression.

“One in five is the figure that’s thrown around and, if that’s true, for us that means we’ve got eight or nine players who even though they might not be truly aware of it or opened up about it, have a mental health issue.”