"CHAMPIONS do not become champions when they win an event, but in the hours, weeks, months and years they spend preparing for it.

"The victorious performance itself is merely to the demonstration of their championship character." - T. Alan Armstrong

It was this quote Collingwood president Eddie McGuire recited at Nathan Buckley's Tribute Dinner on Wednesday night when trying to find the words to describe the former club captain.

"That sums up perfectly what Nathan Buckley was all about," McGuire simply said.

"The outstanding displays of courage, of skill, of perseverance that we saw week in, week out, over his magnificent career wearing the black and white stripes came about because of the mental strength built over years, fashioned by his wonderful family, delivered by his coaches and teammates, and then ultimately taken to centre stage by this man.

"He showed every week the will of a champion, and the understanding of a wonderful sportsman."

The evening, held at Crown Palladium, was a night of Collingwood celebration as the club's players, coaches, officials, staff and fans all finally got the chance to farewell the inspirational Brownlow Medallist following his retirement at the end of last year.

It was a forced decision in the end, with Buckley tearing his hamstring in the dying stages of the Magpies' preliminary final against Geelong. It was a career that ended on the bench of the MCG, with the six-time best and fairest winner watching as his side fell at the final hurdle against the eventual premiers, all the while knowing that if the Pies had won, he'd miss the next week.

Now, almost nine months on, the club took the opportunity to honour the coveted skipper in a function attended by 1350 people, including St Kilda champion Robert Harvey, with a variety of speakers paying tribute to the Norm Smith Medallist.

McGuire called him the club's "most charismatic leader", after witnessing Buckley's entire captaincy from his position as the Magpies' president.

He also shared a story about late club legend Bob Rose, who told McGuire on his deathbed that Buckley was the "best player I've ever seen", after previously earning that title himself from another Collingwood legend in Jock McHale.

Coach Mick Malthouse said Buckley would be remembered for the incredible standard he set at training, while former teammate and then coach Tony Shaw recalled how the Brownlow recipient boosted his fitness base by incredible leaps in his first season.

"In that six months, I've never seen a bloke work as hard as you did," Shaw said, as he remembered how Buckley would push himself to the limit in a bid to win endurance sessions.

Assistant coaches Gavin Brown and Guy McKenna provided the humorous angle of post-season trip adventures, with a lost fishing rod and the fall out from unexpected rifle recoil leading the way as favourite Buckley memories, along with his renowned stinginess.

"We called him 'Crime', because he didn't pay," McKenna said.

And, teammate and captaincy successor Scott Burns – who highlighted McGuire's gaffe of calling Buckley 'skipper' during the toast – said he was a "clean freak" who liked to shun clothing outside the season.

"I'd describe him as shirtless. Very, very rarely have I seen him in a shirt on the footy trip, or in pre-season training," Burns said.

"And, if you ever wondered who'd get into your locker and throw everything around so it was messed up, it was me."

At the end of the evening, Buckley delivered the final word on his lengthy career and experiences as an AFL player. He said he took "more pride from my development as a person than a player", and thanked his wife Tania and young son Jett for their on-going support. 

It was a bitter-sweet moment as Buckley realised the fact he'll never get the opportunity to attend a premiership reunion, having played in two losing Grand Finals throughout his career.

But, as humble as he was in retirement, he took the chance to finally thank all those who contributed to his career, after missing the opportunity to do so in the whirlwind that was his final days at the club late September last year.

"I see tonight as much of an opportunity to pay tribute to my friends and family, and thank them for their part in my career," he said.

"Generally the only time you get these people in the same room is for a premiership reunion, and I'll never be coming to one of those.

"But, this is probably the closest thing to that for me, and to be able to rub shoulders and have my loved ones and the blokes I've played alongside with in the same room, and the supporter base as well, I feel very lucky to be a part of it."