COLLINGWOOD is closer to success now than it was this time last season despite having a similar win-loss record, Magpies coach Nathan Buckley says.

Collingwood sits 12th on the ladder with nine wins and 11 losses, having sat in 10th place on the ladder last season with 10 wins and 10 losses.

The club's percentage has improved (from 96.86 after 20 games in 2014 to 104.18 this season) and its average age was lower last week (23.3) than it was in the corresponding game last season (24.4).

Buckley said many of the areas that had improved were intangibles, but added he was confident they would eventually translate to success.

"We're so much better placed than we were 12 months ago," Buckley said.

"We're much better placed internally. We're much better placed to play consistent football and we're much better placed going forward than we were 12 months ago."

Buckley said Collingwood was more competitive on field and young players had been given important roles as the season had progressed.

"We've seen them grow and develop," he said.

Buckley comes out of contract at the end of 2016 but he said he did not concern himself with thinking about earning a new deal.

"As long as I feel like I am having an impact and my role is important in moving the club towards where we want to go to – and I get feedback on that constantly internally – then I am very comfortable in the role that I am a part of," Buckley said.

"If it's right with me at the helm, that's great. If it's not well then I'm sure I'll know about that. I'll know about that before anyone else."

Collingwood was sitting fourth after 11 rounds but slipped back down the ladder with just one win in the past nine rounds.

A series of close losses to top four contenders were compounded when the Magpies lost to Melbourne in round 18 and then conceded nine goals in the last quarter against Richmond last week.

Buckley said the Magpies' inability to execute skills successfully in the big moments of those close games were costly and the experience of those near misses would make the team less likely to repeat the mistakes again.

"There is a bit of a journey you take in that regard as a football team and I am sitting here as a senior coach and I am impatient about it," Buckley said. 

"You want it be sooner or later but the reality is you need to… have found yourself in a situation to work out when I'm in that situation next time I know exactly what to do." 

Buckley said the list already had many of the elements needed for success and it was a matter of developing the talent both young and old to gel as a team.

"We'll have a look at the market to see what is there, as every club will, but we won't be selling the farm because we feel like a lot of the development we have is internal," Buckley said. 

Buckley indicated promising defender Matt Scharenberg was likely to be named for Friday night but ruled out American rookie Mason Cox from making his debut.