A NUMBER of things have contributed to Collingwood defender Simon Buckley's change in fortune this year.

Firstly, a full pre-season for the first time in three seasons gave him the physical base he needed to show he was capable of standing up to senior football.

Hip surgery at the end of 2009 had derailed his first crack at summer training at his new club in early 2010, and it the closest he got to the senior side was to be named as an emergency three times.

Buckley finished off the year well after he put behind him a three-game club suspension for damaging his ex-girlfriend's car, but it was still a season in which he failed to play on the big stage, giving him motivation to make the looming summer a career turning point.

"These days it's essential in playing good footy having that fitness base up and being able to get strong enough and fit enough to play week in, week out," he told afl.com.au.

"For me, having that pre-season really helped me and it's probably what's got me into the side so far."

With his body finally right, it was time to get his head in the right place.

Sometimes the littlest things can make the biggest difference, and for Buckley, the simple task of upgrading his No.41 guernsey for the No.27 - vacated by delisted West Australian Jarrad Blight at the end of last season - proved to be that.

"I think Mick [Malthouse] is pretty keen on the new players getting the higher numbers and once you're there a year or two, he's keen to get you as low as he can," he said.

"I've changed down now, which is good because 41 wasn't the best number, and it did give me some confidence."

Enter this year's NAB Cup. With his physical state secured and the belief that he belonged in top half of the club's list, Buckley was given his chance to play in the senior side when the Pies took on Richmond in the first week round-robin first week.

"I got that chance in the pre-season and then they played me in round one, and I've been playing ever since," he said.

"Mick's got my confidence up and after missing a couple of years through injury, that's a pretty big thing for me."

The last few years have been somewhat of a rollercoaster for Buckley. He played 21 games for his former club Melbourne between 2007 and 2009 before his groin problems really began to be an issue.

In his final year as a Demon, he became increasingly frustrated as the complaint kept him out of 11 games before his hip kept him from a further three.

His limited game time - and the fact his body wasn't getting any better - led Buckley to the conclusion he needed to attempt to restart his AFL career elsewhere.

"I wasn't able to get on top of the injuries, and once I was out of the team I hardly had anything to do with any of the coaches," he said.

"At the time, their facilities and the people they had around the club weren't really working for me and weren't assisting me in my injuries and rehab.

"I just thought it would be best to move somewhere else, and Collingwood has state-of-the-art facilities and physios and their people are great at what they do, so I thought they would be able to assist me quite well after coming off a year or two of injuries."

He told his manager he wanted a trade, but when that failed to happen he was delisted by Melbourne.

While he had been promised a spot on Collingwood's list by recruiting manager Derek Hine - whose sons played local football with Buckley for Ormond's junior side - he admitted the time between his dumping and re-drafting was tough.

"There was still a bit of doubt. There always is. They left me until their last pick but I've known Derek for a long time and his word was pretty sure," he said.

With Heath Shaw as a mentor in his first year - Buckley says Shaw was "very easy to talk to and a huge help with settling in" - and a new focus on his off-field activities, the transition was smooth.

The Magpies got him into a building and carpentry apprenticeship one day a week, and now he has started a property development course with Scott Pendlebury, Sharrod Wellingham, Chris Tarrant, Darren Jolly and Tyson Goldsack.

He says life is good, almost two years after his AFL journey nearly ended. He's played seven senior games and is desperate to be part of the finals experience he got a taste of last year.

"Sometimes I have to pinch myself, playing for the premiership side this year and some of the players I'm playing next to," he said.

"I owe a lot of credit to Mick and the coaching staff, firstly for having the faith to draft me and now playing me.

"I know if we get that opportunity this year, I'll be doing everything I can to get in the side."