COLLINGWOOD is awaiting further assessment of Scott Pendlebury's quad injury that forced the Pies skipper to withdraw just minutes before Sunday's annihilation at the hands of West Coast.
Pendlebury complained of tightness in his left quad in the final warm-up, with emergency Atu Bosenavulagi earning a late reprieve as the ball was bounced.
EAGLES DOWN COLD PIES Full match coverage and stats
It had no impact on the early stages as the Pies kicked three of the first four goals before an Eagles line-up that Buckley likened to the Harlem Globetrotters piled on 17 of the next 18 majors to win by 66 points.
Pendlebury is expected to undergo scans before determining his availability for next Sunday's date with Fremantle.
ROUNDS 8-12 Check out the full fixture
"He was tight in the back during the week and just felt a little bit tight up in the quad," Buckley said post-match.
"He knows his body really well and felt like he wasn't going to be able to kick through that and was concerned about doing some damage to his quad."
The Pies had more inside 50s, more contested possessions and more groundball gets but were no match for an exquisite Eagles side that produced the highest score of 2020.
"I commented in the box, we played our Washington Generals role really well today to the West Coast's (Harlem) Globetrotters," Buckley said.
"We looked like we were out there just to be the opposition to a side that was doing all the tricks, being clean inside, being hard inside, effective with their offence, really good with their (defence).
"We probably showed a soft underbelly today that isn't us. We weren't able to put out feet into the ground and stop from being pushed back."
The Pies will regain Steele Sidebottom next week, the vice-captain spending the last game of his four-week suspension playing in a scratch match against the Eagles' reserves on Sunday.
Eagles coach Adam Simpson praised Tim Kelly's 30-disposal performance in a midfield that dominated the clearances (32-24), serviced Josh Kennedy (seven goals) and claimed their fourth win in succession.
"We were really concerned after the three losses we had, not really with personnel, but our system and the identity of our side was a little bit off," Simpson said.
"I thought our players really took ownership.
"Our leadership from the older guys to the younger guys coming through stepped up and are playing a pretty distinct brand.
"Today's another step forward. I don't know where we're at in terms of the competition, but I feel like we've caught up a little bit and now we're ready to compete with anyone.
"It (media talk) goes from crisis to flag favourites."
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Key defender Jeremy McGovern will need to prove his fitness after a thumb injury sustained in last week's Derby win forced him to be a late withdrawal.
