Collingwood coach Craig McRae remains an “eternal optimist” about what his team can achieve this season but admits they have work to do and “time will tell” if they have run out of puff at the wrong time of the year.

After being installed as premiership favourites for most of the season, and cruising 10 points clear on top of the ladder only four weeks ago, the Magpies are experiencing their worst form slump of 2025.

They have now lost three of their last four games to give up first place for the first time since Round 10 with Adelaide the new competition pacesetters as well as the bookmakers’ choice for the flag.

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When the Pies’ recent four-game record was put to McRae following the team’s 27-point loss to the Brisbane Lions on Saturday night at the MCG, he replied: “Well I’ll tell you this, we’ve won one of our last two … It’s feedback, though, it’s fair. But I just have a positive lens.

“We’ve had three games in four weeks where the game has given us feedback. Somewhat different feedback tonight — mainly around the contest — but the other weeks were pretty similar.

“We’re getting feedback, so what we’re doing with the feedback is really important – lessons learning, and growing and were not going to stand still.

“I’ve got great belief in this team and for obvious reasons because there’s so much trust built.”

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However, he admitted here was no sugar-coating the Magpies’ second half against the Lions which saw the visitors absolutely dominate disposals (214-157), contested possessions (80-58), clearances (30-14) and inside 50s (27-17) on the way to kicking eight of the last 11 goals.

“If you’re a Collingwood supporter at home, you’d think, ‘Geez, we played probably as bad as we played since Round 0 (against GWS)’. That’s real, but that would be disrespecting Brisbane’s hunt and pressure,” McRae said.

“We invited pressure by handballing way too much. I actually sent the runner out three times to say, ‘Can we kick the ball?’ You could hear even the supporters going, ‘Can you kick it?’ And they Bronx cheered us when we kicked the ball.

“We can’t afford to be smashed in the contest and we can’t afford to give the opposition the ball.

“I asked the group – apparently Brisbane had a really stern and honest session about their contest and stuff and I said, ‘Do you need that from me? Do you want that?’ I just don’t think we need that.”

Brisbane’s Logan Morris became the second young key forward in three weeks to tear Collingwood’s backline apart by booting six goals, following on from Fremantle’s Patrick Voss, and McRae admitted the absence of Jeremy Howe on both occasions has caused concern.

“Are we too heavily reliant on ‘Howey’?,” he posed.

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“There’s some concerns. We deal in facts. Absolutely.”

McRae was hopeful that the 35-year-old would be fit to face Hawthorn in a crunch clash on Thursday night after missing the past three games due to a groin injury.

But the premiership coach was pleased with the way star duo Bobby Hill and Jordan De Goey were reintegrated into the side against Brisbane, as the starting sub and subbed out player respectively, after lengthy lay-offs, saying they both took “big steps forward”.

“This was a deliberate plan and we were able to execute it,” McRae said.

“We think they’ll be better for the run.”

And McRae shared the same optimism about the way all of his veteran players have been eased through the home straight of the season.

“I think we’ve managed our players at training and in games better than we’ve ever done it,” he said.

“Now, that doesn’t mean anything. Time will tell, won’t it? But we think the loads of our players are in good shape so we’d like to think it will pay us back somewhere.”

— NCA Newswire