IT WAS after Collingwood’s round seven loss to Hawthorn that young defender Harry O'Brien experienced a moment of clarity.

Having struggled for form and just been on the end of a 65-point drubbing, O'Brien took a brief step back from the side and analysed just where his personal year was going.

The 21-year-old realised his recent appointment to the leadership group was not being reflected in the way he was playing. And, he was almost embarrassed at how he was utilising his new responsibility.

"I tried to analyse how I was going as a leader," O'Brien said.

"I was probably sitting in the passenger seat a bit. I suppose at the start, I subconsciously thought it was a bit of a token role and didn't think I was seen as a future leader.

"But, I was put in the leadership group to be a leader, and when I evaluated it after that game against the Hawks, I didn't think I was being the best leader I could be."

A natural team-orientated player, O'Brien has since been attempting to make amends for his drop in concentration in those opening two months.

He has noticed how important lending support to his teammates is, having needed to rely on theirs while he went about recapturing his form from 2007.

"You can make your teammates better players because it's a team sport, and they make me better as well because of that.

"I think my form has coincided with the team's, and the whole team in general needed to lift after that Hawthorn game.

"It was just about staying positive and embracing all the challenges that came towards me."

In round four, O'Brien was on the receiving end of a blistering performance by Carlton spearhead Brendan Fevola. A seven-goal bag to the Blues' forward had Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse claiming that "Superman" wouldn't have halted 'Fev's' dominance.

Nonetheless, O'Brien was hard on himself after manning the Carlton goal-kicker for the majority of the afternoon.

"I was down. When you lose a game, you're pretty flat, but I got a lot of support from the players and the coaching staff, and you move on," he recalled.

"Then, the next week brings another game so you don't dwell on it."

Ultimately, O'Brien went on to approach that experience as he's come to approach life itself – by looking at the bigger picture. 

"I think you just have to watch that a couple of weeks later, 'Fev' played in the Hall of Fame game and kicked six goals there; that's the kind of player he is, he's very hard to stop," he said.

"I feel really privileged that as a 21-year-old, I was up against someone who is in the prime of their career and one of the best at what he does.

"I embraced that challenge, and even though he did kick goals on me, you've just got to look at the players he has kicked goals on recently. I don't get too concerned; I analysed it to see the different ways I could improve, but I don't get too down about it."

He said the experience wasn't one he needed to have, as he's come to expect that every now and again, he's going to let one slide through the big sticks.

To O'Brien, it's just a matter of making sure it doesn't become a regular occurrence.

"I don't think you want to have those games, but they're always going to happen," he said.

"James Clement told me after the game, 'You're going to get a bag kicked on you maybe 10 to 15 times in your career'.