Collingwood took to a sodden training track on Tuesday, but it’s their finals hopes that have been dampened on the back of a three-game losing skid.

While the Magpies were engaged and boisterous in their group drills and end-to-end work, with Daniel McStay strengthening his claims for a senior recall, the bottom line is this: they face becoming the fourth team of the past eight seasons to miss the finals a year after enjoying premiership glory.

This is what I want: Magpies coach Craig McRae directs his men at training on Tuesday.Credit: Joe Armao

In what shapes as a barn-burning run home to the finals across the league, the 12th-placed Magpies, with eight wins, seven losses and two draws, need to win at least four of their remaining six games to elbow their way into September. And when you consider the quality of teams they’ll face – five are either premiership favourites, firmly in September calculations or in-form and jostling for a top-eight berth – the Magpies are in trouble. Deep trouble.

This Saturday they face Hawthorn at the MCG in what shapes as a make-or-break contest. Magpies great and former coach Nathan Buckley said this week he felt the loser of this contest would drop out of September contention.

The two teams met in Gather Round, when the Magpies prevailed by just five points. The Hawks are a far more accomplished unit now, and it’s hard not........

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