FROM reigning premier to missing finals the following year – it's going to be a tough September for Collingwood and its coach, Craig McRae.

The Pies finished off their season with a 46-point win over Melbourne, a game that saw a 36-minute delay in the final quarter due to lightning in the area.

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"I said to the playing group, 'We'll sit and watch finals with a bit of a sick feeling in our guts, because we want to be playing finals at this time of year'," McRae said.

"But the game gives you feedback – we're here 24 rounds in, and the game tells you where you sit, and we sit on the out. We've got work to do.

"It's been a challenging year. Every coach in every footy club will tell you their story, we've all got our own story to tell. It's going to be hard watching, it will be. You can say we're playing a brand of footy that may challenge a few in finals, but that's been a bit of pie in the sky stuff. 

"We'd like to think that four of our last five games have been wins and our form, other than 10 minutes against the Swans, has been pretty strong. We're starting to steer the ship a little towards where we want to be, which is important to us."

Steele Sidebottom, 33, confirmed on Fox Footy's broadcast he will be playing once again next year, lining up once more with veteran teammate Scott Pendlebury. It means the Pies are likely to hang onto all their experienced players as they look to push back into finals.

But McRae has one thing on the top of his shopping list heading into the player movement period.

"We sit here wanting to improve, so whether that's acquisitions or bringing in talent to make us better, I'm hoping to be really busy. It's not my job, but I'll be pushing people, what's going on, let's look at all avenues to make us better," he said.

"I'd love a key forward. Tonight, we had none at some stages. And I don't want to denigrate Dan (McStay) or 'Checkers' (Brody Mihocek), but they've been out for a major part of the year, which has left a big hole.

"If you know any out there that want to play for Collingwood, let me know. They're hard to find."

A long and tumultuous year for Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin came to a close in agonising circumstances, the Dees already 41 points in arrears when players were forced from the field, before waiting nearly 40 minutes to play the final 10 minutes of the match.

After yet another week of speculation about the future of contracted superstar Christian Petracca – who is reportedly unhappy at the Demons while he recuperates from extensive internal injuries, including a lacerated spleen, punctured lung and four broken ribs – Goodwin was steadfast.

"Christian will be part of this footy club for the next five years. He's had a really challenging time, we all know that. He's having to work through a lot of emotions and has suffered a lot of trauma, but we'll be there to support him. Christian's got a contract, and he's going to be there for five years, so that's the space we're living in," he said.

"Communication's been really strong internally around Christian. It’s been expressed to the players and the staff, what Christian has been going through, and his need to get away from the footy club, on numerous occasions. 

"It was also spoken at length within the leadership group, and that we were there to support Christian. But ultimately, until you hear it from Christian – and that's been the difference – everyone gets a deeper level of understanding."

Asked if Petracca had directly told him he will honour the remaining five years of his deal, Goodwin said: "He'll be seeing it out."

"We'll catch up in the next few days, and have those discussions. But where we sit today, he'll be at the Melbourne footy club for the next five years. They're the facts, and that's what'll happen," Goodwin said.

Goodwin backed Clayton Oliver to return to his best next year, after his season started with a turbulent off-field period and finished with a broken hand, a PCL injury and bruised ribs.

"He'll be back. I've never seen a more determined person than 'Clarry' right now. He's keen on getting his off-season absolutely spot on, come back ready to go fit and healthy," he said.

"He's in a great space with his life, and we're really proud of that, but now it's about becoming a really great footballer again, and he's determined as ever. Clarry's one of the biggest competitors I've met – whether he's got a point to prove to anyone else, but I'm pretty sure he's got a point to prove to himself. That's more important."

Goodwin said tough defender Jake Bowey had suffered suspected bone bruising in his knee during the loss to the Magpies, with scans required to determine the extent of the injury.