Buckley says soft Pies will own loss

COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley says his team showed a “soft underbelly” in its 66-point thrashing against West Coast, insisting it will own its horror performance at Optus Stadium.

The Magpies conceded 13 straight goals in the second half, playing what Buckley described as a Washington Generals role to the “West Coast Globetrotters”, who made a mockery of Collingwood’s vaunted defence.

Buckley said the performance was an outlier for his team, but players, coaches and staff would be accountable as the premiership contenders look to rebound against Fremantle next Sunday in its final match in the Perth hub.

“It looked like we were out there to be the opposition to a side that had all the tricks, being clean inside, hard inside, effective with their offence, really good with their (defence),” Buckley said. “I commented in the box, we played our Washington Generals role really well today to the West Coast Globetrotters.

“They looked like they grew in confidence and in dare. Everything that they were, we weren’t.

“We probably showed a soft underbelly today that isn’t us.”

The Magpies will now sweat on the availability of captain Scott Pendlebury, who was withdrawn with calf tightness before the match and will likely undergo scans.

West Coast became aware of the late change, which saw emergency Atu Bosenavulagi recalled, one minute before the opening bounce.

The loss of Pendlebury compounded growing injury concerns at Collingwood, which are also without important defender Jeremy Howe and star forward Jordan De Goey.