CTV > Mick Malthouse's post-match press conference

COLLINGWOOD'S inability to maintain a consistent effort over the course of a match is an issue that must be dealt with – and quickly – according to Josh Fraser, the acting skipper in Saturday’s last-gasp loss to North Melbourne. 

“It was really disappointing; I couldn’t even say that we put in a four-quarter effort,” Fraser said after the Pies gave up a 21-point lead 12 minutes into the final term at the MCG.

“There were too many lapses throughout the game and I guess we probably deserved to lose in the end. We need to address things pretty quickly.

“We played some pretty good footy in patches, but I think it’s probably been the theme of our year so far that we haven’t been able to put four quarters together. If you look at our wins … you look at the Richmond game and the second half was seven goals apiece, so there probably some warning signs there that we didn’t address.

“I think you’ll see a pretty committed Collingwood next Friday [against Essendon].”

The ability to exert pressure on the opposition ball carrier – a trademark of Collingwood’s game in 2007 – has rarely been in evidence so far this season, and Fraser admitted the team was in danger of losing the gains it had made.

“I just don’t think we’re hard enough at the contest,” he said.

“I think sides are beating us to the ball and winning free kicks, and that’s something that we’ve prided ourselves on over the last couple of years.

“I think we’ve gained a lot of respect from the footy community for the way we’ve gone about it, but I think we’re quickly losing it so we need to get back to the drawing board, remember what we do well. I guess it will all start on the training track.”

The loss took the sheen off an excellent individual performance by Fraser who kicked four goals, had 19 hitouts and finished with 18 possessions to be amongst his side’s best players.

“At the moment, I’m just disappointed to lose,” he said.

“But if I can take some confidence from that performance into next week, that’s great. but like all the guys, I’m just bitterly disappointed with the result.”

Fraser threw his support behind Alan Didak, who was also one of Collingwood’s best players but had the misfortune of missing a shot on goal that would have put his side in front in the dying minutes of the match.

“Everyone could sit down, look through the tape and think about their game and there would be something they would probably change that might’ve changed the outcome of the match; to pin it all on 'Dids' would be a bit harsh,” he said.

“He’s got plenty of character and, don’t worry, if we’re ever three or four points down and we need someone to kick a goal after the siren, we’d want it in his hands.”