COLLINGWOOD skipper Scott Pendlebury says the Pies are ready to reload in 2019, after putting last year's narrow Grand Final loss behind them.
Ten days after losing a five-point thriller to West Coast on the last Saturday in September, Pendlebury watched the game by himself.
While it was a tough experience, Pendlebury told SEN radio it was an important step.
"I didn't really want to sit with anyone and watch it," Pendlebury said.
"I just sat by myself, watched the game, paused it a few times and then that really helped me get over it and move on.
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"I just wanted to know what happened. It was a bit of a blur by the time the siren went at the end.
I actually sat there, and as hard as it was, I thought that was a cracking Grand Final. I was really proud of the boys.
"There were a few areas that obviously we would have liked to have done a little better. But I couldn't fault our effort on the day."
The Magpies haven't sat down as a group to watch the entire game, with Pendlebury acknowledging his teammates all dealt with the loss differently.
However, when the senior players returned to the club late last year after their break, the game was reviewed thoroughly.
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"We went through what we thought we did really well, and what areas we need to work on, because there are some good lessons there for us moving forward," Pendlebury said.
Pendlebury said the Pies wouldn't be taking anything for granted in 2019 as they push to go one step further.
"Now for us it's about reloading because 2019 is a new journey," he said.
"We don't get to get back the finals or the Grand Final without taking those small steps, and that's about making sure our pre-season is really strong and not missing a step along the way."