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Live sport on SN this weekendBuckley: Did we overrate Collingwood?
Andrew Slevison • August 4th, 2025 6:30 pm
Nathan Buckley firmly believes that the general media somewhat overrated Collingwood just a matter of weeks ago.
The Magpies as recently as Round 18 sat 10 points clear on top of the ladder with many believing they were comfortably the best team in the competition.
In the wake of the weekend’s 27-point loss to Brsbane, Craig McRae’s side has dropped back to the pack. They have lost three of their past four outings to now find themselves sitting second and in a real battle just to hang onto a spot in the top four.
Former Pies coach Buckley felt there was an overreaction to the team’s form not too long ago and conversely is not overreacting now they’ve copped a few defeats.
“Can we put on the agenda that the mass media, we put Collingwood too far out in front six weeks ago,” Buckley said on SEN’s Whateley.
“It was by demonstration, and I suppose it's for the same reason we're questioning their bona fides now because of three losses in the last month.
“We do get caught up in this short-term stuff.
“I don't think they were as far out in front six to eight weeks ago, and I don't think that there's too much to panic about in terms of their last month.
“They played really poorly against Gold Coast, and just failed to run them down.
“They played pretty well against Fremantle, but had a six-goal key forward (Patrick Voss) that they would normally not give up. I thought that was a little bit of Darcy Moore, a little bit about the back six.
“And then that's happened again (with Logan Morris), but they were also well beaten through the midfield by the Lions.”
However, Buckley is not throwing in the towel despite the recent downfall.
He still sees plenty of positives in the way the Pies are playing, admitting he isn’t losing sleep about their current plight ahead of Thursday night’s crunch clash with Hawthorn.
“I still like a lot of what Collingwood have,” he continued.
“You could say Dan Houston (is down on form) or their back mix (is not working), there's a lot of little things, and even the Collingwood people are bringing up free kicks, which is going to happen.
“The guts of their game is still really solid, but potentially, if we're looking for a twist in the tail - are you staid and are you stagnant, are you stubborn and have an absolute belief in the way you're going about it?
“Or do you have to need to add something to the mix?
“Or is there something that's in the back pocket that's not being played at the moment that is waiting for the right time?
“Well, maybe Thursday night is the right time to be able to pull that out.
“I’m not losing too much sleep, but the time is now.”
While the Magpies have not been conceding huge scores in their recent losses, they have coughed up six-goal bags to Fremantle’s Patrick Voss and Brisbane’s Logan Morris in gilt-edged contests.
Jeremy Howe has been sidelined since Round 18 with a groin injury and his absence has coincided with a downturn in form.
It suggests there is a reliance on the injured veteran who seems to be the glue that holds the backline together.
“They are (reliant on Howe) and they have been for a long time,” said Buckley further.
“Jeremy Howe is the glue for the back half. His connection with Scott Pendlebury, who is the glue for the midfield, whose connection to Jamie Elliott, who is the glue for the forward line - they're your pieces from a leadership aspect.
“That's understood and demonstrated internally. You don't always know who are the glue guys, who are the ones that pull it all together.
“Darcy Moore's the captain, but he's not the glue of the back six. In fact, without Jeremy Howe, I think Darcy Moore is probably 75 per cent of the player that he has become.
“So, you do need those guys that pull the coat-tails that, that give you a razz, that give you that pat on the back, and then make the plays when they need to be made.
“And Jeremy Howe is that guy for Collingwood in the back half.”
Overall, Buckley says Collingwood’s game is in sold order - he just wants to see a few marginal improvements which could prove the difference in the end.
“The midfield play has been really consistent, the stoppage stuff doesn't look much different,” he added.
“Field position has been as strong in the last month as it was throughout the whole season.
“It's the pointy ends, and in those pointy ends, giving up too many scoring opportunities in D50 or much more than they were before that.
“I think that comes down to the mix of your back six and not quite being able to connect as much in the forward 50.
“So, you fix two entries that way with two scoring opportunities, and then finish off with two more your way, that's a significant difference, and Collingwood aren't three losses from the last four, they're only one loss from the last four, and we look at it entirely differently.
“That's how marginal I think it is, and that's where I would place their prospects at the moment.”
The second-placed Pies will look to bounce back when they meet the seventh-placed Hawks at the MCG on Thursday night.
A win would cement them in the top two while another loss would see them in danger of giving up a coveted top-four position.
