Demons ready to support Pickett through family issues

New coach Steven King was adamant the 24-year-old, now arguably Melbourne's best player, would return on Thursday and face St Kilda on Sunday.

"We were pretty proactive with it, Kozzy needed to get back for family reasons and I fully support any father at our club to make sure they get to support their family," King said.

"Kozzy will be back tomorrow, he'll do our T2 (main training session two) and play."That's something I want to provide flexibility for our staff and players that family is equally or more important than just the game of footy.

"We'll give Kozzy all the time he needs to take care of his family and his daughter and he'll be fine ... we'll work with him throughout the season as it progresses, but he'll play."

There were reports Pickett and his partner are working through a relationship breakdown and she has moved to Darwin, with their young daughter, to be closer to family.

King indicated if Pickett needed to spend more time in up north the Demons would facilitate that.

Pickett would be able to keep on top of his training program via the facilities at the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre in Darwin, with support from Indigenous great Michael McLean.

"Moving forward we'll set up an opportunity, if there is a requirement for him to go back throughout the season it will be structured with the facilities up there," the Demons coach continued.

"A lot of us at the club here and thorough Kozzy have a lot of contacts in the Northern Territory.

"If he does have to go back once a month or so, we'll make sure he ticks off what he needs to from a physical standpoint and obviously he doesn't miss out from an education point of view around what we need to keep growing in our game."

Star forward/midfielder Pickett last year signed a bumper nine-year extension until the end of 2034.

The Demons also pounced on Pickett's cousin, Latrelle Pickett, at pick No.12 in last year's draft and the young gun looms as a potential round one debutant.