That's the view of Magpie skipper Nick Maxwell, who told Melbourne radio station SEN on Tuesday that the transition from Mick Malthouse to Buckley was still taking place.
"You have got to change a lot of things," he said. "There are lots of guys trying to change their games to fit into the game-plan and the different expectations he has."
The Pies are 5-4 and out of the eight, heading into Friday night's clash at the Gabba against the Brisbane Lions.
Maxwell added that Collingwood, like all teams, had to adapt to different styles of football and game-plans that change from year to year.
"Games have changed, standards have changed and we have to raise our standards to meet what other clubs are doing," he said.
"We are not in the top five clubs. We're not quite at that standard right now."
Like his coach earlier on Tuesday, Maxwell said the Sydney Swans, who beat Collingwood by 57 points last Friday, were the best side they had played this year.
"They're the best offensively and defensively," he said. "They had half a dozen guys we couldn’t go with. There is a huge trust in their group among one another."
He also categorically rejected claims that defender Heath Shaw was left out of the side last weekend because his skinfolds were too high.
"Heath was one of six blokes whose skinfolds were slightly over what they should be. But he had back tightness," Maxwell said.
