COLLINGWOOD defender Shannon Cox says a lack of desire, not fitness was the reason the team was overrun on Saturday afternoon in Albany.

The inexperienced Magpies were playing a NAB Challenge game against the West Coast Eagles in Albany, in Western Australia's South West, and despite leading at half-time were eventually beaten by 33 points in the windy conditions.

"They kicked up a cog, and our intensity dropped," the 21-year-old said. "We really pride ourselves on our DI's – Desire Indicators – and we dropped in them. It's not fitness because went away to South Africa for high-altitude training and did that. A few boys cramped, but I really couldn't tell you what it is."

A stiff wind was blowing straight off the Southern Ocean, having made its way directly up from Antarctica, leaving visitors from elsewhere rugged up and locals in shorts and singlets, but Cox said it wasn't an issue for him, having grown up in the area.

"Nah, I played a lot of my junior footy here, so … that's a good day here. It's a good day – I was sweating a fair bit out there, actually."

Cox, one of the many who have graduated to an AFL main list from the rookie list, said the pressure on the defence cranked up in the second half, when the Eagles turned the gas up and Collingwood's inexperienced team felt the applied heat, especially the defenders.

"I played on [Matt] Rosa a fair bit, [Mark] LeCras – they were always dropping someone back after they went into the midfield and then they were spitting one out, so whoever was coming out, I was getting them.

"It could have been better – we lost – but their midfielders had enough time to spot their targets up and we could have had a bit more pressure from their midfielders, because when they're coming in they can choose who they want to kick it to and how they want to kick it.

"It makes us really hard on us backline players, but beggars can't be choosers, I suppose."