Collingwood's close losses are “wearing thin”, coach Nathan Buckley says.

A disappointing first quarter cost the Magpies dearly on Thursday night, slipping to their third straight defeat with a three-point loss to Port Adelaide.

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It follows a 10-point loss to Hawthorn and a seven-point loss to Fremantle in the past two weeks.

"You assess them independently of each other," Buckley said of the losses. “But it wears thin after a while.

“We believe we’re heading in the right direction and we’re proud of the players representing us.”

Buckley was left to rue a five-goal-to-one start that the Pies couldn't overcome.

“We’re not proud of our first quarter tonight and ultimately that was the defining aspect of the match,” Buckley said.

"It was really poor coming out of the sheds when the conditions were half-decent.

"We got smashed around the ball in contested ball and clearance, we leaked goals and didn't defend particularly well.

"So to give up eight shots of 21 and five goals of nine in the first quarter is bad footy."

Despite Collingwood's good percentage (122 per cent) it's in danger of slipping to eighth on the ladder by the end of the round after three straight losses.

"Tonight we travelled interstate and played against a top-four side from last year,” Buckley said.

"They're yet to be proven but when you look at the names on paper they still look pretty strong."

Midfielder Taylor Adams picked up 37 possessions but will inevitably be sighted by the Match Review Panel after a kneeing incident with Justin Westhoff in the third quarter.

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