FOR Collingwood, the 2016 season should start this Friday night.

Venue: MCG. Opposition: Geelong. Task: Win, or at the very least, lose admirably.

Collingwood needs to forget the fact the 2015 season is dead to it. It needs to desperately fight against the natural tendency to go through the motions, as it embarrassingly did last Saturday versus Richmond.

A repeat performance against the Cats cannot be accepted by anyone in authority at Collingwood.

Too much pride, and too many matches, has been lost since June 14, the day the Magpies won their eighth game from the opening 11 of the 2015 season to sit fourth on the ladder, equal on 32 premiership points with West Coast and behind only Fremantle and Sydney.

The 2015 season has been Collingwood's worst since 2005, a year in which it raised eyebrows in losing its final eight games, a result which provided it with a prized priority selection in that year’s national draft.

The eyebrows have been raised again this year, but for different reasons. Yes, the fixture has been tough since round 12. And yes, some losses have been by narrow margins. 

But goalkicking accuracy has been terrible (check the scores in rounds 14, 16, 18, 20 and 21) and the losses to Melbourne (round 18) and Richmond were woeful.

Coach Nathan Buckley clearly has a plan for the future. The young players on his list look promising, particularly Jordan De Goey and Darcy Moore. 

Darcy Moore has been a revelation as a first-year key forward. Picture: AFL Media

But that doesn't justify eight losses from the past nine matches being part of the "now". The one win came against second-last Carlton in a game that was also nearly lost.

Some at Collingwood will argue the club simply needed to go back last year and this year, in order to go forward.

But while that argument is feasible enough, the Western Bulldogs would have been justified in performing similarly in 2015.

So too West Coast, because of their injuries to key defenders.

Collingwood doesn't lack for anything. Facilities – tick. Football department resources – tick. A contracted 14 matches at the MCG – tick. The big-time, money-making primetime slots – tick. 

Buckley had every right to remove from Collingwood a lot of the Malthouse ways when he assumed control after the 2011 season. He exercised that right in exorcising the club of people it and he no longer wanted.

Also, there was to be no more discretion on sanctions to be applied to the bigger names and renowned partygoers. Under Malthouse, nothing would have come of Dane Swan having a few drinks in August 2012; under Buckley, he copped a two-week playing ban.

The next year, Heath Shaw and Dale Thomas were traded. The following year Dayne Beams, who had refused to adhere to every word of Buckley's on-field demands, sought a trade despite having a contract. 

Heritier Lumumba was moved out, too - though he had to be, having spoken disgracefully to Buckley, who had supported him over a long time, in front of Collingwood staff.

Buckley doesn't need to justify any of the decisions made to remove and discipline personnel. But those decisions have cost him wins in matches of football and resulted in a bland playing group. Even Dane Swan has been forced to become vanilla.

In each of Buckley's four seasons in charge at Collingwood, the Magpies have won fewer matches than the previous year. 

After Malthouse took the Pies to a second consecutive Grand Final in 2011, the club reached the preliminary final in 2012, Buckley’s first year. It was a 17-win from 25-match season (success rate 68 per cent).

In 2013, it exited at elimination final stage. Fourteen wins from 23 games (61 per cent). Last year, they were 8-3 at the halfway point before closing the year 3-8 for an 11-11 formline (50 per cent) and 11th place on the ladder 

Collingwood had the same mid-point scoreline this season. Since, it has won just one match – against second-bottom team Carlton in round 19.

Entering the Geelong match, the Pies are 9-11 (45 per cent).

The numbers don't lie. This is not progress.

Buckley and Collingwood seem capable of turning things around, but the luxury of time is no longer there.

Next year is a crucial one for everyone in a position of authority at the Magpies.

Next year starts Friday.

Twitter: @barrettdamian

Nathan Buckley (r) reacts during Collingwood's loss to Richmond. Picture: AFL Media