Pies must change narrative in AFL: Buckley

May 6, 2017 - 9:25 AM Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley knows the narrative surrounding his AFL side, but can he change it?

Under Buckley, the Pies have earned a reputation for flightiness - they win the games no one expects them to win, then lose the games they're supposed to dominate.

Saturday's clash with old foes Carlton - a side firmly in rebuild mode, young talent notwithstanding - presented the perfect chance to build on last week's shock win over high-flying Geelong.

More than 70,000 fans were on hand at the MCG to celebrate Collingwood's 125th anniversary but the Pies barely turned up, allowing the Blues to run riot on the way to a 12.7 (79) to 8.8 (56) victory.

Buckley suggested critics would have to be blind to discount fatigue being an issue for the Magpies - it was their third game in 12 days as a result of their Anzac Day fixture.

But the sixth-year coach conceded the Pies were grappling with familiar issues - poor ball movement, ineffective forward entries and an inability to back up a winning effort.

"We've got to this stage a few times and just haven't been able to jump this hurdle," he said.

"We recognise the narrative that's out there.

"I don't think that's giving us enough credit against a side like Geelong last week ... and it doesn't give Carlton enough credit on a day like today.

"The fact is, they were the better team on the day - and they should be acknowledged for that - and we've got to be better than that."

Jamie Elliott led the Magpies with three goals but Buckley's team were soundly beaten in the midfield, with skipper Scott Pendlebury and the returning Jordan De Goey among their few contributors.

The Pies have just two wins from their first seven games and their hopes of making the finals - which Buckley last year predicted would need to happen for him to save his job - are slipping away fast.

They will start as underdogs against Greater Western Sydney next Saturday but should be bolstered by the return of Daniel Wells, who was a late withdrawal against Carlton.

"He was somewhat fit to play but we think we made the right decision," Buckley said.

"I don't think that one player was going to make the difference today - it was actually a system issue.

"We had too many passengers on the day to be able to execute what we wanted to do."

Source: AAP