AFTER Collingwood used its second bye to revive its flagging seasons three weeks ago, Magpies defender Alan Toovey is hopeful the AFL will reintroduce two in-season breaks from 2016 onwards.
Clubs will only be granted one week off next year to cater for a late start to the season, with the cricket World Cup pushing round one back to the Easter weekend and the Grand Final to October.
Toovey said Collingwood's second bye had come at the perfect time this season after four losses in five games had left the club facing an uphill battle to make the finals.
The Magpies are still likely to need three wins from their last four games to play in September, but Toovey said the team's form of the past two weeks meant their destiny was still in their own hands.
"The time away we had in that bye gave us a chance to reflect on where you're at as an individual and how the team is going," Toovey said ahead of Sunday's crunch game against West Coast at Patersons Stadium.
"We spoke a lot about the way we wanted to come back after the bye and the areas we dropped off in that were costing us games ... I think coming back we've been a lot better since.
"Some blokes had been injured, some blokes were out of form, and just the way everyone was working together was probably not right on key.
"If only some guys are putting pressure on or we're turning the ball over, it just puts a lot of pressure on individuals and we lose games."
Toovey has enjoyed a full week of training and will return from a back injury against the Eagles on Sunday.
Star midfielder Dane Swan was not passed fit, however, and spent time training away from the main group on Friday with youngster Nathan Freeman, who is recovering from a serious hamstring injury.
Toovey said Swan had just missed out this week and was certain to face the Brisbane Lions in round 21.
He said the Magpies were well aware of the stakes going into Sunday's match, with the finals race tightening every week.
"The last few weeks have been the same - towards the end of the year the pressure builds and this game is a big game for us," Toovey said.
"West Coast played well last week and they'll be looking to have another big win at home.
"Last week we had a really good four-quarter effort so I think things are looking pretty good towards the end of year and that's when you want to be playing your best footy.
"You want to be playing finals and these are the games you've got to win to get there."
The Magpies have a 1-2 record on the road this season, losing away games against Adelaide and Gold Coast, but Toovey said the trip to Perth held no fears for the team, which has won two of its past three matches against West Coast at Patersons Stadium.
"Historically we've been pretty good over the last few years - I don't think it's really too much of a factor for us," he said.
"For some teams that do it every second week it can be a bit of a grind, but for us we do it every now and then and it's something to look forward to."
