Collingwood’s loss to Essendon has made things worse for Nathan Buckley, writes Mark Robinson

COLLINGWOOD almost certainly won’t play finals and a tough call will have to be made on Nathan Buckley at the end of the year — if not earlier, writes MARK ROBINSON.

Travis Varcoe, Scott Pendlebury, Daniel Wells walk off with coach Nathan Buckley after Collingwood’s loss to Essendon. Picture: Getty Images

THE worst-case scenario just got worse.

The Pies are 1-4, almost certainly won’t play finals and unless there is a drastic change in performance, either Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley or president Eddie McGuire will have to make a tough decision at the end of the year — if not earlier.

One loss doesn’t ruin a career but a loss on a solemn afternoon against an old foe, when questions are asked once again about consistency of effort and intensity and execution, hurts the long-term plans.

Buckley’s coaching adventure is like a game of eeny, meeny, miny, moe. The Pies jump into the fire and jump out; they jump back in and can’t get out.

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One week it’s blitzing Sydney, the next two it’s surrendering to St Kilda and Essendon for all kinds of different reasons.

Simply, the Pies are not a good side, certainly not good enough to play finals.

The acid is on Buckley because he said he had to play finals this year or probably get the bullet.

But it’s more than that.

The pressure will heap on Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley after his side’s loss to Essendon. Picture: Michael Klein

After promises in 2013 and 2014 that the window for a premiership would be open in 2016 and 2017, why do we still not know what this team stands for?

Why the inconsistency? Where is the unconditional intensity? What about the dysfunctional forward line?

Why can Buckley mastermind a magnificent win one week and be in charge of a ramshackle bunch the next?

This is no witch hunt, for the results dictate mostly everything. But if the majority of former players and coaches in the media and probably, by now, most Pies supporters are asking if Buckley is the right man going forward, then surely McGuire and his board are asking the same question.

At quarter-time, Buckley’s Pies were all over the shop. Essendon should have been six goals in front, not three.

By halftime, however, Buckley’s Pies had swung it around after the Bombers threatened to take away the game. At the main break it was three points.

The Magpies, and we have seen this before, were relentless with their pressure, which garnered confidence, which produced brilliant ball movement. It floored the Bombers. They looked slow and listless, ripe for the picking.

But not so.

An enthralling third quarter saw Collingwood take the lead for the first time after recruit Daniel Wells kicked a goal on the run from 40m — exactly the image the Pies envisaged when they signed him — and Darcy Moore followed.

It was full-steam ahead Collingwood. But as much as the game changes every six months, the Pies’ intensity changes by the quarter.

They allowed the Bombers to kick the last three goals of the third term, seemingly in a trice, and were back in the furnace.

Nathan Buckley, under pressure. Picture: AAP

When it mattered most — on a sodden, darkening MCG, where bodies were tired and sheer will became more important than skill — the Bombers prevailed.

Essendon’s youngsters were outstanding. Darcy Parish, Aaron Francis early, Orazio Fantasia and the No.1 draft pick Andrew McGrath led the way.

Then came Michael Hurley and James Kelly in defence, Joe Daniher forward and pinch-hitting in the ruck and a couple of crafty left-footers named Dyson Heppell and Zach Merrett.

It was a game where Bomber fans could see the future with excitement.

It was a game where Collingwood fans were blinded by the pain of the present.

This one hurts Collingwood and it hurts Nathan Buckley.

All losses do at this stage of his coaching career, and maybe we’re being too dramatic so early in the season, but as the saying sort of goes:

Eeeny, meeny, miny, moe.

Catch a Magpie by the toe.

If he hollers, let him go ...

Yep, they’re a hollerin’ at Collingwood and the hollering might not just stop with Buckley.

McGuire and chief executive Gary Pert are part of all this, because the decisions and appointments they’ve made in the football department in recent times are not exactly promoting unity.

Indeed, you can hardly expect consistency and honesty on the field when it hasn’t happened off it.

Originally published as Collingwood’s loss to Essendon has made things worse for Nathan Buckley, writes Mark Robinson