THE Magpies are hopeful they will be in a position at the end of the year to claim their round seven loss to Hawthorn was the turning point of their season.

So far, the players have responded admirably to that 65-point pasting, recording three wins from their past three matches against St Kilda, Geelong and West Coast since.  

It might be too early to call that result as the wake-up call that defined the Pies' season, but right now at least, it's been the catalyst that has revived the players' passion.

"A loss like that does [shake you up], but a loss like that is also somewhat healthy because it keeps everything in check and makes you go over things," defender Nathan Brown told afl.com.au.

"It makes you train a lot harder and do everything down to a tee.

"You've got to take the positives out of a loss like that, and Hawthorn is a very good side.

"But, we learned a great deal out of that game, and that's what I love about the challenges. You learn a lot from losing, as opposed to winning. You take a lot out of the wins, but when you lose, you take a lot out of it because you go over what you did wrong.

"They make sure you don't get ahead of yourself and you re-assess what's worked in the past."

Brown, 19, said the Pies haven't been doing anything extraordinary in the past three weeks – they've simply been applying skills that were eluding them during their topsy-turvy start to the season.

"It's always been there, but it became apparent to us after that game that we had to knuckle down," he said.

"We've had another look at our game plan and stuck by that, and we went back to the basics and stuck by it.

"It's worked in the past, with the pressure and stuff, so we've gone back to that, and it's pulled us through."

The young defender also said the playing group received an enormous amount of self-belief from their 86-point triumph over the reigning premiers Geelong two weeks ago.

"We got a lot out of that, just because we were able to prove we are a pretty handy side," he said.

"Geelong had an off night and they're a very good side so we know that we've got to keep pushing and striving to get better, because next time we play against them, they're not going to play like they did that night.

"Being on the top of the ladder and winning for so long, they had to have that loss, and I think it's healthy and will keep things in check for them."

Something else that is feeling healthy is Brown's body, which he said has stood up strongly after 10 consecutive games of senior football.

"I'm still feeling pretty good. The body is pretty good and I thought I'd be a lot more tired at this position than when I was playing VFL, but it's good," he said.

"I'm still learning a lot and learning my caper, and each week is very interesting and a great challenge."

But, while he can't wait to take to the field in yet another big stage Collingwood event this Monday on the Queen's Birthday, he'll gladly accept the eight-day break the public holiday fixture is allowing.

"You take every day off and you love it because it does catch up to you," he said.

"But as I was saying to mum and dad, with Collingwood, it doesn't matter who we play, every game is a big game because everyone loves to beat Collingwood.

"Every game is a blockbuster so the pressure is always on.

"It's a bit of an honour playing for Collingwood in the respect that we get so many big games, and you always take in the occasions, but at the end of the day, you want the four points and all the other factors get put aside."