COLLINGWOOD has staged an enormous comeback from 43 points down to win its first game against Hawthorn under coach Nathan Buckley.

After conceding the first six goals of the game and kicking just the solitary point in the first quarter, Collingwood eventually triumphed by 18 points, 13.12 (90) to 11.6 (72).

Full match details and stats

Epitaphs were being written for under-siege coach Nathan Buckley midway through the second quarter.

But Collingwood hit back after half-time, kicking 5.5 (35) to 0.1 (1) to draw level at three-quarter time and continuing the Hawks' shocking performances in third quarters in 2017.

The Magpies then kicked three goals to one in the final quarter to notch up their third win for the season.

Five talking points: Collingwood v Hawthorn

The comeback, which was built on the back of an outstanding game from skipper Scott Pendlebury (36 touches and a last-quarter goal), will bring great relief to Collingwood and coach Nathan Buckley.

Despite having to make six changes through injury and illness, Hawthorn steamrolled the Magpies early, kicking the first six goals of the game.

Tom Mitchell was outstanding with 14 first-quarter possessions, finishing the game with a club-record 50 touches, and Paul Puopolo and Luke Breust were causing trouble inside 50.

Bucks, Clarko split on Mitchell's impact

The Magpies were uncertain, turning the ball over and conceding free kicks and appeared rattled.

It was the first time the Magpies had conceded the first six goals of a game since round six, 2015 and the lowest first-quarter score under Buckley.

It was also the biggest margin the Magpies had faced at the first break in his six seasons at the helm.

That it came just after Collingwood had stood to honour club legend Lou Richards, who was buried during the week, made it even more worrisome.

However, the Magpies were a different outfit after half-time, putting the depleted Hawks under enormous pressure, closing down space and running to support one another.

Darcy Moore began to take marks, finishing the game with four contested marks and two goals in his best game for the season, as the much-vaunted Collingwood midfield worked over their Hawthorn opposition. 

WATCH: Pendles takes control to end Hawks hoodoo

Taylor Adams had 11 touches in the third quarter to support Pendlebury and the backline lifted, conceding just one goal in the second half.

Brayden Maynard, who had a horrendous first quarter, hit back hard and laid one vital smother and stopped a certain goal in the last quarter as the Hawks threatened to steady.

Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley was relieved after the game but also proud of the players' effort in causing the turnaround.

"It was an excellent response to a scoreboard that looked unfavourable and the flow of the game was clearly going well against us so to be able to dig deep, arrest the slide in the second quarter and then come back hard in the second half showed a lot of character and grit," Buckley said.

It keeps Collingwood in with a slim finals chance as it has a reasonable percentage and three wins to its name, while Hawthorn remains on three wins but is fighting hard.

Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson was pragmatic after the loss, aware of the challenges his team had faced with so many familiar faces missing.

"We did a lot right in the first half, so that was pleasing. We stuck to our plan really well and got ourselves in a winning position, then forfeited it in the second half," Clarkson said.

"Some of that is credit to Collingwood, but we moved the ball, when we had our opportunities, in a manner that fuelled some of Collingwood's rebound. 

"I think four of their five goals in the third quarter were end-to-end goals, which saps a lot of energy (and) saps a lot of spirit and they were the sort of plays we were trying to deny Collingwood in the first half and we did that really well. In the second half we were unable to do that."

MEDICAL ROOM
Collingwood: James Aish has a suspected fractured cheekbone after showing enormous courage to contest a loose ball and clashing heads with Hawthorn youngster Daniel Howe.

Hawthorn: The Hawks were forced to make two late changes as Kaiden Brand fell ill and Tim O'Brien failed to overcome hip soreness. It topped off a bad week for the Hawks after losing Cyril Rioli, Ben Stratton and James Frawley to injury in round eight.

NEXT UP
Collingwood plays the Brisbane Lions at the MCG on Sunday and will look to build on its win while Hawthorn heads up to the SCG for a vital game against Sydney. The loser of that game will surely be written out of finals calculations.  

COLLINGWOOD        0.1       4.6       9.11    13.12 (90)
HAWTHORN             6.1       10.4    10.5    11.6 (72)

GOALS
Collingwood: Elliott 3, Moore 2, Maynard, Greenwood, Treloar, Howe, Crisp, Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Smith
Hawthorn: Sicily 3, Breust 3, Puopolo 2, Shiels, Vickery, McEvoy

BEST
Collingwood: Pendlebury, Howe, Adams, Treloar, Moore, Smith
Hawthorn: Mitchell, Puopolo, Shiels, Smith, Breust, Burton

INJURIES
Collingwood: James Aish (fractured cheekbone)
Hawthorn: Tim O'Brien (hip) replaced in selected side by James Sicily, Kaiden Brand (illness) replaced in selected side by Kurt Heatherley, Paul Puopolo (knee), Jack Gunston (knee/ankle)

Reports: Nil

Umpires: Donlon, Rosebury, O'Gorman

Official crowd: 54,252