For the second year in a row, the Magpies bowed out of the premiership race in agonising circumstances - a fact that Buckley said made it hard for him to properly address the playing group following the game.
He admitted it felt like "a waste of a year", despite making it through to the penultimate weekend of the season, saying his feelings - and those of his players - were as raw as they had been following last year's five-point Grand Final loss to West Coast.
"Yep, I said it felt worse (than the 2018 Grand Final)," Buckley said after the Magpies were denied a second straight premiership play off.
"It's just a jumble of emotions.
"It is quite difficult after a result like that to stand in front of the players and really wrap them up ... we have just lost a game that looking at the last 30 minutes, if we had found a little bit extra through the early parts of the game, we could have won.
"But we didn't. The side that won it deserved to win it because they were the better team on the night."
Collingwood led from start to almost finish before going down to West Coast in last year's Grand Final. This preliminary final was a different scenario with the undermanned but determined Giants pushing out to a 33-point lead early in the last quarter before the Magpies stormed home to fall less than a goal short.
"The overwhelming feeling for me is ... what a waste of a year," he said.
"Our season is over ... this is going to be the hardest week in our lives watching what is going to take place over the next seven days. There is no coming back. It is a quick click of the fingers and it is over.
"The last quarter feels like it makes it worse, to be honest. We weren't able to get that momentum, and all credit to the opposition. It felt like we didn't own the game for long enough until we were a fair way down. Then we showed trademark resilience and trademark spirit to fight our way back into the contest.
"In the end, we have fallen short again and we feel pretty average."
Buckley said he still had enormous faith in the playing group and the coaching staff, but acknowledged AFL football moves on swiftly each season.
"You have got to take your moments ... moments come and they go, and you either take them or you don't. This is another one we haven't (taken).
"But you don't have a God-given right (to play in a Grand Final). We had a strong season and in many ways it was stronger than last year.
"But we fell two steps shorts of where we ultimately want to be. It probably shows how hard it is to get there and how much work needs to take place for you to go around (in a Grand Final)."
PENDLEBURY: IT HURTS MORE THAN LAST YEAR
Scott Pendlebury credited GWS for figuring out that a territory battle was going to decide the preliminary final long before his Magpies.
The Giants burst 33 points in front on the back of their stoppage-surge mentality and while Collingwood regained dominance in the final quarter, the Pies fell agonisingly short of stealing the lead.
“Conditions lend itself to territory stoppage footy and they adjusted better than us for the majority of the night,” Pendlebury said.
“Once we got going how much we dominated the game and we gave ourselves a chance to win it, we just couldn’t convert at the end.
“It was stoppage after stoppage and they just had to keep compressing the ground (in the final minutes).
“We couldn’t open up the stoppages enough to get a clean look or stick a tackle to try and get a holding the ball decision.”
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The Magpies won inside-50s 21-8 in the final term, but managed just four goals despite the ball living in their forward line.
Pendlebury thought his second-quarter snap was a goal but was unfazed about the score reviewers deciding it was touched off the boot, saying “you’ve got to trust the system”.
The Magpies past two seasons have ended in September heartbreak, and the skipper said it was this loss that would sting more.
“It’s shattering. It’s a real hollow feeling and next week’s going to burn,” he said.
“This is worse because you don’t get the opportunity to even get there. I’d rather get my heart broken again next week if I was in it then not even give yourself a chance to win it.”
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Updates
– The key to the match was stoppages. Brodie Grundy dominated the ruckwork (hitouts 78-16 and 14-5 to advantage), but the Giants won clearances 54-35 and outscored the Magpies 29-8 from this source.
– The Giants have relied on stoppage scoring more than any other team on record and again scored more from stoppages (29 points) than turnovers (27).
– Zac Williams was the key man with 11 clearances and 16 contested possessions, both team highs. A brilliant performance.
– Nick Haynes tallied 30 disposals in a match for the first time in his career. He had 10 intercept possessions, but no intercept marks. Phil Davis took one intercept mark.
Nathan Buckley is speaking. It's pretty raw from the Magpies coach after a heartbreaking loss.
"The overwhelming feeling for me is it's a waste, a wasted season, which is a shame.
"They were harder for longer in the end.
"The scoreboard hurt us in the third quarter and we just weren't able to drag that back.
"In the end we were -20 in clearances and you're not going to win many games with those numbers. We were a little off – we weren't bad, but we were a little off, and the opposition were really good."
Buckley said the Magpies were a better team than last year.
"It just shows how tough the competition is."
GWS coach Leon Cameron:
"We've had our backs against the wall a little bit this year, but, as I said to the guys before they ran out, enjoy the moment, play to the end and you never know what might happen – and we're into a Grand Final.
"I'll be totally honest, I was a bit worried there with about six minutes to go – we were hanging on for dear life – but the players found a way."
Cameron says Lachie Whitfield is a "massive chance" to play less than two weeks after appendix surgery.
On Stephen Coniglio: "We'll give him a really good chance"
Phil Davis played on with a back problem: "That decision will come down to Wednesday-Thursday."
GWS coach Leon Cameron:
"We've had our backs against the wall a little bit this year, but, as I said to the guys before they ran out, enjoy the moment, play to the end and you never know what might happen – and we're into a Grand Final.
"I'll be totally honest, I was a bit worried there with about six minutes to go – we were hanging on for dear life – but the players found a way."
Cameron says Lachie Whitfield is a "massive chance" to play less than two weeks after appendix surgery.
On Stephen Coniglio: "We'll give him a really good chance"
Phil Davis played on with a back problem: "That decision will come down to Wednesday-Thursday."
Giants players facetime Lachie Whitfield, who is recovering from surgery this week to remove his appendix. How good is this?
Mark Maclure not holding back on ABC: "Collingwood had their chance. Don't feel sorry for them. They wasted them in the second and third quarter they kicked one goal. Don't whinge if you think you got beaten and you should've won."
TAB has posted its first odds for next week's Grand Final:
Richmond $1.36
GWS Giants $3.30
TAB has posted its first odds for next week's Grand Final:
Richmond $1.36
GWS Giants $3.30
That feeling when you get to play in a Grand Final after missing the preliminary final through suspension
Phil Davis on Channel 7: "They just kept coming and coming. I was useless today and they were all outstanding. The resilience this club has built is unreal. I'm so proud of the players and the club, we are building something pretty special. They came and they came. We are made of the right stuff. I'm so proud, we've come from the bottom and we deserve it. I think they will both get up (Whitfield, Coniglio)."
