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COLLINGWOOD coach Nathan Buckley has flagged changes for his team's blockbuster Queen's Birthday clash against Melbourne after having "too many passengers" in Sunday's deflating loss to Port Adelaide.
The Magpies were swept aside by the Power at the MCG, losing by 67 points and having their backline exposed by a fleet of small forwards who repeatedly found space and kicked easy goals.
Buckley could swing the axe after the positives of the past fortnight were undone against an opposition that was "prepared to work harder" and "structurally held up".
"We had some strong performances down there (in the VFL) and clearly there were too many fellas who lowered their colours today," the coach said.
Click here for Nathan Buckley's full media conference
"Whether they're getting tired or whether it was a poor performance, we'll look at that.
"I thought we had too many passengers.
"We haven't won as many games of footy as we wanted to in the early stage, and we're bitterly disappointed with our performance today."
The Magpies could call on half-back Marley Williams, who played his first full game in the VFL on Saturday after returning from a mid-foot strain.
Williams had played three quarters in the VFL two weeks ago and the Magpies will assess if he has played enough game time to return to face the Demons.
Defender Jonathon Marsh, who was an emergency on Sunday, could also come into the team, with Collingwood's backline players appearing to be most at risk at selection.
Returning forward Travis Cloke was "serviceable", the coach said, finishing with 0.1 but competing hard.
"Clokey was OK … we had quite a few that weren't at the level they would have wanted to be," Buckley said.
"Clokey would be happy to be back, but I'm sure he'd want to contribute a bit more than that."
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Port kicked seven goals from the goal square on Sunday and Buckley said the Pies had tried to change their structure to prevent goals being leaked over the top.
He said the Magpies' inability to have numbers at the contest was telling.
"We had three blokes at the contest to five Port Adelaide players," he said.
"Then 50m away, four or five seconds later where you think our extras must be, three blokes at the contest to five or six Port Adelaide players.
"Ultimately you're shuffling deck chairs to try and make up for that lack of out-number around the ball and that lack of contest."
Buckley nominated defenders Jeremy Howe (20 possessions and 10 marks), Ben Reid, who worked hard on Charlie Dixon, and Mason Cox (two goals) as players who had battled on.
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