Season 2024 is quickly slipping away for the reigning premiers and all pundits believe it is over.
Following a fourth consecutive loss, with Hawthorn handing the Pies their most recent defeat to the tune of 66 points, it is hard to imagine Craig McRae's men pushing for successive flags.
Sitting 13th and six premiership points outside the eight with five games remaining, the writing appears on the wall for Collingwood, especially with match-ups against Carlton, Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne to come.
On Saturday, the Hawks handed McRae his biggest loss since taking over the main job at the beginning of 2022 but he still hopes there's a beating heart in the current campaign.
"That's not a representation of us. That was pretty ugly at times. We're a team that's spent a better part of two and a half years building a culture about being winners,โ McRae said in his post-game address.
"Now we lost today and we were right on the edge of being losers. You can lose and still be winners and we're right on the edge.ย
"The behaviours and the actions and the connection and the system and doing your job, being reliable and finding 23 guys who really want to fight to the last second - that's being a winner.
"We're still breathing here. Nothing is finished here. Resilience, pick yourself up and go again."
Collingwood was comprehensively beaten in all key statistical categories and when added up, would likely result (as it did on Saturday) in a heavy loss.
Hawthorn won the disposal count (434-288), inside 50s (69-37), clearances (48-43), contested possessions (156-127) and turnovers (65-76) in the wet and cold day at the MCG.
And with the loss making finals a very difficult proposition, the performance of former Magpie and premiership player Jack Ginnivan just added further salt to the wound.
Ginnivan put together a career-best day, amassing 31 disposals and slotting two goals in an all-round performance that has Pies list managers contemplating their decision to let him walk.
Hawks coach Sam Mitchell couldn't have been prouder.
"'Ginni' is one of those players that the crowd love, the media wants to talk about and in the preparation we didn't make much of it [facing his old side]. We know he's important for what he does for us as a side โ we've missed him the last couple of weeks โ to get him back we knew that would bring a lot of energy," Mitchell said.
"I was rapt for him. He is only 21 years old. If you think about how long it feels he's been around, how many times he's been on the back page or there has been a story about him, he seems he is much older, but he is 21. He is still maturing, still growing into his footy, still getting used to his teammates. He is going to continue to improve, but it has all come off the back of an enormous workrate and a desire to prove that he can be a fantastic and well-rounded player and not a flash in the pan."
Despite the 0-5 start, Hawthorn has stormed back into finals contention and will half a game outside the eight, but also one win (and other results going their way) off of a top-four position.
The Hawks' run home consists of Adelaide, GWS, Carlton, Richmond and North Melbourne.
Tipsters have finalists winning a minimum of 13 games and if Mitchell's men notch up victories against the Crows, Tigers and Kangaroos, September is not too farfetched.
