Gold Coast defender Jack Bowes won't be shoe-horned straight into the Suns' AFL line-up despite a hamstring injury to fellow back Will Powell.
The Suns have confirmed Powell will miss Sunday's trip to face Collingwood at the MCG after straining his hamstring during last weekend's Queensland derby loss to Brisbane.
Bowes has been absent for the first six weeks of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery in January but is now fit and available.
Dew, however, is looking to give the 23-year-old time in the VFL to build his sharpness before a return to senior football.
"He's done a really good job in rehabbing that shoulder but then that's a lot of footy to miss and particularly that it was pre-season," Dew said.
"If these ones are in the middle of the year they've obviously got a bit more base behind them, but Jack we think he'll get up to match fitness reasonably quick."
The most likely replacement for Powell will be mature-aged recruit Jy Farrar, who was a late omission from the team that faced the Lions due to illness but has since recovered.
"He'll provide some support there," Dew said.
"Connor (Budarick) who played his first game for us in a long time will be better for the run.
"We'll miss Powelly obviously. His ability to play tall/small, uses the footy well ... Jy offers us a little bit of rebound as well from the back half."
The Suns will also be boosted by the likely returns of Jack Lukosius (knee) and Mal Rosas (calf) against the Magpies.
"At this point they're okay," Dew said ahead of the Suns' Thursday training session.
"It's just that final piece ... you just want to have that confidence and they've got to get that confidence as well from what a main session brings and the questions that it asks."
Meanwhile, small forward Ben Ainsworth has become the latest Sun to commit to the club, signing a new deal until the end of 2024.
The 24-year-old has made a strong start to his sixth season, averaging 16 disposals and three tackles a game while kicking six goals in 2022.
"We love Benny and what he brings to the side on the field but also off the field," Dew said.
"It's a perfect fit and he's developing really, really well."
