Watch Dayne Beams speak to the media during Thommo's Team 13 clinic held on Tuesday morning at Victoria Park

Collingwood young gun Dayne Beams believes the mid-season break came at the right time and allowed the playing group to address several areas they felt they needed to improve on in the second half of the year.

In the month leading into the break, Collingwood lost two matches while drawing the Queen’s Birthday clash.  During that period the club dropped away in key statistical categories including clearances (14th), goals kicked (15th), tackles (9th), and contested possession difference to its opponent (15th).??

Speaking at Victoria Park where the players conducted the annual Thommo’s Team 13 clinic, Beams told reporters the players were adamant on improving from their first 12 matches of the season.

“We lost a couple of games before the break that we would have liked to have won,” said Beams.??

“We had the break and placed a big emphasis on coming out and improving on areas we had highlighted during that patch of footy.”?

“We got the four points against Sydney.  It was good to restart with a win.”

The Magpies now face two teams in the bottom eight (West Coast 15th and Port Adelaide 12th) before a tough month of footy bookended by St Kilda and Geelong.

“It was very important for us to get back on the winning list against Sydney.  We now face a couple of winnable games coming up.”

Collingwood look closer to welcoming back Nick Maxwell, with the skipper listed as a test after injuring his calf in round 12 before the break.??

"He (Maxwell) will train later in the week and will be given every opportunity to get through and be available for selection this weekend.”