Steele Sidebottom says Collingwood needs to address its slow starts

STEELE Sidebottom says Collingwood must go back to the drawing board to address a growing trend of slow starts.

AFL Round 16: Collingwood v Adelaide

STEELE Sidebottom says Collingwood must go back to the drawing board to address a growing trend of slow starts.

For the second time in as many weeks the Magpies conceded a near five-goal deficit in the first term on Friday night only to run out comfortable victors.

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Sidebottom said while it was heartening that the team was able to work its way back in to the game against both Carlton and then Adelaide, he said the Pies couldn't afford to keep handing their opponents an early advantage.

"We didn't really speak a whole lot after the game, but we spoke about it last week," Sidebottom said.

"We tried to make it a bit of a focus to start well this week, but obviously that didn't happen.

"We'll have to sit down again during the week to work out something else because what we're doing isn't working at the start.

"But I suppose the other three quarters haven't been too bad. And at times when we have lost games this year we've been flogged so to be down by five goals and fight back and get back in front has been good."

Meanwhile, the Pies will sweat on the result of scans on Clinton Young's hamstring after the half back finished with ice strapped to his leg on Friday night.

Magpies coach Nathan Buckley said the outlook wasn't good for the 27-year-old who has been restricted to just two games this year because of calf and hamstring injuries.

"He's an experienced player and he knows his body pretty well, and he doesn't like what it feels like," Buckley said.

"We haven't got any confirmation, but clearly he was quite disappointed at the end of the match."