Collingwood are prepared to play dour, defensive football to grind out better performances over the next couple of weeks, coach Nathan Buckley says.
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With two losses and one narrow win, the Pies have failed to live up to the expectations of many for the 2016 season, and president Eddie McGuire this week made it clear he would not hesitate to sack Buckley – eventually – despite their close friendship.
Buckley arrived 35 minutes late for his regular press conference, but was otherwise measured as he answered questions about his team's failings.
He said the defense had been lacking and he would be looking to lock down Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.
Buckley said he wanted the ball in Collingwood's front half more often, to move the ball better, get it deeper and to get the defensive mechanics in the team's front half functioning better.
"The danger is it'll become a little bit dour, but I'm probably prepared to look like that and pay that price in the early stages, while we re-establish our defensive intent," he said.
He said McGuire expected improved performances, but the president's first question had been about how he could help.
"What I got out of Ed's comments is that he expects better performances, I stand side by side with him in that regard," he said.
When asked whether the players were losing faith in themselves or in Buckley's leadership, the senior coach said: "Not at all."
He said Tom Langdon had been out of form for the first two rounds, but had cleared his mind and refocused on the basics of what made him a good footballer, and bounced back on the weekend.
"That's a bit of a snapshot of what we need to look at as a group, that is going back to basics and that's being intense, competing hard and defending well," he said.
"There's no doubt we'll be grinding out the next couple of weeks to perform at a competitive level, we clearly want to win games of footy, but we want to get those basics right."
Forward Travis Varcoe and midfielder Steele Sidebottom will return at the MCG, a welcome boost to the Magpies' ranks.
Those players were crucial and hard to replace, Buckley said.
"To have Steele and Trav back this week will be very important for the way we play and also for their experience."
