‘So poor’: Pies star laments club’s ‘reliance’ on late heroics, plays down skipper’s form slump

A Magpies gun says skipper Darcy Moore “would put his hand up” and own his downturn in form, responding to claims Collingwood has “lost its aura” late in games.

The Pies fell for the fifth time this season last Saturday against Gold Coast, dropping outside the top four to sixth spot with the chasing pack coming hard.

Craig McRae’s brigade found itself trailing the Suns by 26 points at three-quarter-time, before storming home and taking a late lead — only for the hosts to reclaim their advantage and close out a tight win.

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Questioned on the possibility that the positive “aura” surrounding the Pies was dissipating, Howe noted the need to start games better in order to not have to chase down games late.

“Teams are still well and truly up for the fight against us, no doubt, but the encouraging signs for us on the weekend (was) the way that we finished,” Howe started.

“I know ‘Fly’ touched on it post-game that it’s encouraging and positive to finish like that, but we’ve just got to stop putting ourselves in positions like that late in games where we get so desperate to try and run teams down.

“I know Fly talked about ‘gears’ last year — you don’t want to be reliant on that.”

Since 2022, the Magpies have gone 14-14 in games that they have trailed at three-quarter-time — but they are just 2-4 in those scenarios this season.

While the fourth-quarter Pies have been a force to be reckoned with in recent times, Howe says his team would prefer to be well-placed “early enough” in matches.

“On the weekend, specifically, I just felt like our first half was so poor, and against Gold Coast, there, I felt like they executed far more consistently than we did,” the veteran high-flyer told Fox Footy.

“Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much to bang on a few goals and get four-to-six goals down. We got it back on our terms in the last (quarter), but you want to set the games up early enough, so that’d what we’re diving into this week, no doubt.”

Over the past six weeks, Collingwood is 13th in points against in the competition, 14th in contested possession differential, and 16th in inside-50 differential.

On Monday night’s edition of On the Couch, Brisbane Lions legend Jonathan Brown said the Pies were ‘losing their aura’.

“They’re getting beaten around the contest, their forward connection has been pretty ordinary, and their defenders are getting ambushed,” Brown told Fox Footy.

“For me, it’s a really big concern; they lost on the weekend — you start losing these close games, you lose your aura, the teams that come up against you in those last quarters aren’t as worried, because you don’t feel like you’re paralysed as much.

“The Gold Coast were able to move the ball and you need to attack. We saw Gold Coast, especially in the first two and a half, three quarters, when they took Collingwood on, they got through and they were able to score.”

In times of need, Howe has demonstrated an ability to be Collingwood’s dependable swingman, with the veteran praising his coach’s tactical nous.

“I didn’t feel it coming (McRae) is great at trying things and throwing a few magnets around,” he said on AFL 360.

“He doesn’t hesitate in not waiting until the end of the game to try these things. I’ve obviously done that (shift forward) in the last two games, and it potentially works late in games.

“But ideally, he doesn’t have to throw the magnets around and we’re just doing our job naturally. A few guys have played a few different roles.

“I think I’d naturally be a defender, but it’s obviously there if we need to (pull the trigger).”

Howe said that while an out-of-form Moore is the type of leader who owns his struggles, the side as a collective hasn’t been performing to standard.

“He’d put his hand up and say he’s not playing his best footy, but also as a team, we’re not playing the best footy either,” he stated on Tuesday evening.

“If we’re playing a lot more consistent footy and our pressure is not fluctuating as much and we execute the fundamentals, I think we all look like we’d play better footy.

“Darcy’s not on his own — we continue to support him. His Monday to Friday work is unbelievable and he’s still leading really well, so, like I said, he’s probably not playing the best footy as he has, but he’s still contributing to the group.”

Collingwood faces an important stretch of fixtures as it aims to cement a top-four seed this September. In a boost, seven of its final eight home-and-away matches will be played at the MCG, with just one interstate trip — to Sydney in Round 22.