Poor ball use, a lack of forward pressure, an inability to support tagged teammates and a failed plan to work Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn over led to Collingwood's 46-point loss, Magpies coach Nathan Buckley says.

Having slumped to 14th on the ladder with just four wins in the first 12 games, Buckley said the Magpies had to recommit to the way it wants to play after being too easy to play against in the past fortnight.

"We have got a vision of where we want to go and we have to embody that more often," Buckley said.

VIDEO: Watch coach Nathan Buckley reflect on Collingwood's loss post-game.

The coach said poor ball use after quarter-time ensured the Magpies weren't able to take advantage of matching the Demons in the inside 50 count (46-45 in Collingwood's favour).

"Their contested method versus ours was the difference in the game," Buckley said.

"Their forwards got the benefit of that and our forwards weren't able to take advantage of the haphazard ball that was coming the other way."

The lack of flow helped the Demons dominate when the ball hit the ground inside Collingwood's forward 50 with Tom McDonald, Bernie Vince and Josh Wagner exiting the back half of the ground too easily.

"Their ability to get back on groundball in our forward line was pretty effective," Buckley said.  

"(They were) able to find that first kick out of our forward 50 too easily."

VOTE: Your 3-2-1 in the Magpie Army Player of the Year Award.

Buckley conceded selecting Jarrod Witts as a second ruckman in an effort to beat Gawn into submission had failed, with the presence of three ineffective talls in Witts, Brodie Grundy and Mason Cox giving the Demons an advantage.

"The intent was to try to work Gawn over," Buckley said.

"I think it happened the other way ... he schooled a few of our boys in that process."

He was also disappointed that Steele Sidebottom's teammates didn't make life difficult for Demons tagger Tomas Bugg, who took the silky midfielder's effectiveness away.

Buckley said that battle was a snapshot for how Collingwood played.

"The question asked post-match was 'How many of Steele's teammates got across to help him? How many of Steele's teammates made life more uncomfortable for Tom Bugg?'" Buckley said. 

"When we were up and about we had the opposition having to throw ice-packs on left, right and centre because we are hard to play against."

Buckley said the Magpies had a chance to regroup over the bye and said the little things were hurting the team in big ways.

He said the line St Kilda coach Alan Richardson had used to describe the Saints also applied to Collingwood's plight.

"You're either learners or losers and in many ways we're in that position."