PRE-SEASON EXPECTATIONS: Down considerably on the bullish predictions entering 2016, when some predicted Collingwood could not only play finals but reach the top four. Three mediocre seasons in a row had more tipsters than not leaving the Pies out of their top eights this time, with opinions polarised about the wisdom of picking up another clutch of seasoned recruits like Chris Mayne, Daniel Wells, Will Hoskin-Elliott and Lynden Dunn.

RECORD: 5-7.

Daniel Wells has been effective in the games he has played for the Magpies.

WHAT'S GONE RIGHT: Not a lot, to be brutally frank. Collingwood have at least remained largely competitive despite losing seven of their dozen games. Indeed, their biggest losing margin of just 23 points against Carlton remains the smallest of any team in the competition. The Magpies have been able to generally stay in games even when their performance has been ordinary, four of their defeats between 14 and 19 points, and two heartbreakers by less than a kick against GWS and Melbourne. The highs have clearly been wins over Geelong at the MCG when the Cats were unbeaten, and the one-point win over Sydney at the SCG when coach Nathan Buckley's carefully-crafted gameplan was carried out to a tee. The win over Geelong came with the Pies winning the midfield battles for contested ball and clearances, and making much better use of their scoring opportunities, with 32 scores from 59 forward entries and a good goalkicking spread with 13 individual goalkickers. As a group, the midfield has been solid, with skipper Scott Pendlebury, Adam Treloar, Taylor Adams and Steele Sidebottom all averaging 27 disposals or more per game. Brodie Grundy has had a wonderful season in the ruck and at this stage would be in consideration for All-Australian selection. And high-flying Jeremy Howe has been great in defence as a third tall, one pick-up from another club which has paid off handsomely.

WHAT'S GONE WRONG: Collingwood have had no trouble winning enough of the football, third of the AFL differential rankings for disposals. They generate plenty of scoring opportunities, ranked second behind only Port Adelaide on differentials for inside-50s. But the quality of those entries is questionable, along with the conversion of them. Collingwood's average of 22 per cent of goals from inside-50s is the second-worst rate in the AFL, better only than that of the Western Bulldogs. The Pies have managed to kick more goals than behinds in just three of their dozen games thus far, Alex Fasolo the main offender with a season scoreline of 16.20. The midfield's ball use has hardly helped the forwards, though, Collingwood's percentage of disposal efficiency only mid-table despite having won so much of the football. Darcy Moore has been a hard worker inside 50, but hasn't had nearly enough key position support, Jesse White and Mason Cox both having been found wanting. And this year's batch of trade-ins haven't worked anywhere near as well as the Pies would have liked. While Dunn has been pretty handy in defence, and Hoskin-Elliott has added a little class on the outside, Mayne has played only three senior games and hasn't done enough at VFL level to warrant a recall. Wells, meanwhile, has been very effective in the games he has played, helping straighten up a midfield which can fiddle with the ball too much, but calf injuries continue to hobble him, and just six appearances isn't the sort of return the Pies were counting on.