COLLINGWOOD defender Tarkyn Lockyer has refused to blame poor kicking for goal after his team drew with Melbourne played at the MCG despite registering 10 more scoring shots.

The Pies had another disappointing day in front of goals, kicking 9.22 - including 1.9 in the third quarter -and were starring down the barrel of an upset loss before Lockyer himself stepped up and calmly slotted a goal to tie up the scores in the dying stages of the final quarter.

“I don’t think it was necessarily that,” he said in regards to their inaccuracy costing them the game.

“I think there were a lot of snaps and sort of half opportunities that if they go through they go through. Unfortunately they didn’t today.”

Lockyer said the result was a bitter pill to swallow for his teammates after the Pies laid 43 more tackles and 20 more inside-50s than the Demons.

“I don’t know how to feel,” he said.

“We came here for four points and didn’t get it.”

“I suppose it feels like more of a loss than a win, but I think the draw is a fair reflection on the game.”
After the Pies raced to a 21-point lead early in the match, Melbourne slowly worked their way back into the contest, with the 30 year-old admitting the Demons were hard to stop as their midfielders slowly took charge in the second half.

“To Melbourne’s credit they were fantastic. I think we started the game pretty well and our pressure early was pretty good [but] they kept coming and the way they moved the ball forward through midfield was exceptional.”

“I suppose our ability to stop them moving the ball through the corridor with pace was maybe an area we need to work on.”

Lockyer could not hide his relief at finally forcing his way back into the side for the first time since the round-four win against the Hawks.

“The jump from VFL level was getting bigger every week so it was just good to get back and contribute,” he said.

With the Pies now enjoying a weeks’ break due to the split round, Lockyer said the team would take the extra time to focus on the clash against the Sydney Swans at ANZ Stadium.

“We will sit back, see where we sit and get ready to reload and take on the Swans.”