RESOLVE and self-belief were the catalysts of Collingwood's come-from-behind 17-point win over North Melbourne on Sunday, coach Nathan Buckley says.
The Magpies were 39 points down at half-time after what Buckley described as his team's "worst half of footy" this year. But Collingwood's young brigade stunned North to kick 10 unanswered goals in the second half, setting up the thrilling victory.
Click here for full match coverage and stats
After the match, Buckley was asked how the players managed to turn the game in their favour.
The answer was simple - belief.
"I think we've got a young group that believes it can be good and it believes it can play good footy," Buckley said.
"Talking to a few of the boys, I don't know how, but they felt like they were never going to lose the game. So given the performance and where we got to in stages in the first half, that's a pretty big call. But that's all that matters."
WATCH: Nathan Buckley's full post-match press conference
The Magpies were smashed in the first half, with North Melbourne's swift ball movement and rebound off half-back creating opportunities for its forwards, while the Pies butchered the ball by foot and lacked pressure.
Prior to Sunday, Collingwood's defence had only conceded an average of eight marks inside 50 per game.
But in the opening half against the Roos, the Pies' defenders allowed their opposition to take nine marks deep in attack.
"That’s the worst half of footy we've played this year," Buckley said.
"We were that far off it, it wasn't funny. It didn't look like we were working, our key defenders were sagging off and allowed their big boys hit-ups (marks).
"North Melbourne looked to me like they were playing the game like they wished to, and in the end, the second half was a polar opposite.
"We'll feel great about that win, as we should, because we were able to perform when it mattered, but we'll have some hungry individuals that will come out of the game saying there's still much to grow and so much to improve."
After nine rounds, the Pies are 6-3, and well entrenched in the top eight.
They face Melbourne (MCG) and GWS (MCG) before the bye in round 12, and Buckley said while he was thrilled with the win on Sunday, it was critical the players continued to temper their attitudes.
"We're thrilled with the result but we said it a couple of weeks ago, when we rock up to the club on Tuesday to review, that we want to take the result out of it," Buckley said.
"So whether we've won or lost, or how we've won or lost, it should be irrelevant to our demeanor.
"It's a challenge this week to be able to handle that with the right attitude and I think we're continuing to develop that."
