Jon Ralph examines who is going to step up to change the fortunes of the Magpies

NATHAN Buckley should look away now. The Magpies looked terrible in their JLT opener and Collingwood clearly needs a hero. JON RALPH examines if anyone is capable of standing up.

Nathan Buckley needs a spark at the Magpies. Picture: AAP Images

NATHAN Buckley should look away now.

His mantra for a season of improvement involves themes like cohesion, synergy and togetherness.

But right now, Collingwood needs a hero.

Who is going to step up to change the fortunes of a club which had a terrible feeling of sameness about it in Canberra on Thursday?

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First the caveats: it was a meaningless JLT clash, with X-factor players Jeremy Howe, Darcy Moore and Alex Fasolo all playing a half or more in an hour-long VFL practice match on Friday night.

Mature-aged Brody Mihocek stood up at full-back, kids Jaidyn Stephenson and Flynn Appleby showed glimpses and Tom Langdon shone at half-back after only 16 games in the past two years.

The JLT Series did not start well for Nathan Buckley. Picture: AAP Images

But the rest of it was depressing.

As the Magpies were blown away by 10 goals against a GWS side that also had many stars missing, the age-old issues emerged again.

It wasn’t immediately apparent what the game plan was, an opponent again moved the ball at will, and the forward line again looked all at sea.

Too many players failed to hit targets — Taylor Adams went at 65 per cent efficiency, Travis Varcoe 53 per cent, Jack Crisp 69 per cent — again a familiar frustration for Pies fans.

Tactical marvel and former Collingwood assistant Rodney Eade pointed out the turnover issues on Twitter, but they were so obvious Rodney Rude could have spotted them, too.

And while GWS ramped up its forward pressure to nail 16 inside-50 tackles, the Pies could manage only a paltry three.

The inside 50 count might have been 59-32, which makes it impossible to make a judgment on Chris Mayne (two possessions) and talls Brodie Grundy and Mason Cox.

Yet from a small sample it remains hard to see how Grundy or Cox can be the goalkicking forward — alongside Ben Reid — who takes the Pies to top four.

As Buckley said post-match, “we have got a bit of work to do”.

“We didn’t do the basics well and our disposal was poor, and we got smacked in the clearances after quarter-time,” he said.

“The third quarter was particularly poor. We threw things around a bit. I think there was a bit of posturing (from the coaches) given we play each other in about a month, so we definitely had a look at four or five things that we’ve been practising.

“A couple of them went OK, a couple of them didn’t, so we’ll be able to go back to the tape and take the learnings from that.”

Dustin Martin went to a new level at Richmond last year, Trent Cotchin turned into a raging bull, David Astbury emerged as one of the league’s premier stoppers.

When the Bulldogs won it in 2016, Tory Dickson had a year out, Easton Wood had a career season, Liam Picken stunned the football world.

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Can Collingwood’s youngsters stand up in 2018? Picture: Getty Images

Can Darcy Moore do a Liam Jones and become an impregnable (and rebounding) wall at centre half-back?

Can Jamie Elliott defy another wrecked pre-season and kick 50 goals as an aerial freak after four straights seasons returning 30-35 goals?

Jordan De Goey oozes X-factor and appeals as one of few players capable of the 20-possession, three-goal matchwinning performance. He also oozes ratbag, with Geoff Walsh effectively admitting on radio on Wednesday he was on his last chance at the Pies.

Is Brayden Maynard capable of being a bone-rattling, tough inside mid who makes his teammates walk tall and rivals look to see where he is every time?

The Pies have exactly three weeks before their Round 1 encounter against Hawthorn and on face value they will need every one of those 21 days.