Nathan Buckley: Has he reached the tipping point at Collingwood? Credit:Getty Images The question also remains as to what heat must go on McGuire and Pert as they engineered the handover in 2009. A major club review, conducted by businessman Peter Murphy, is already on the go. It will be fascinating to see if the handover is revisited. Is McGuire so aligned with Buckley that he must reconsider his position? Remember, McGuire famously said after the loss to Carlton last year that he had done just that but was persuaded by his two sons to continue. Buckley said Saturday's loss to Essendon had been a "regression". Turnovers, poor decision-making and an indirect game plan have damaged this side. Players say skill errors don't surface at training. The question that begs then is: why aren't they handling the game-day pressure? Have they recruited the wrong players, or is the game plan not right? When the Pies go direct, they look good. When they fiddle with the ball, as has too often been the case in the first half of matches, it becomes ugly. In this area, the buck stops with ... Bucks. He hasn't been helped by having five football managers – a role almost as important as a coach, particularly if that coach is in his formative years. Buckley has had Rodney Eade, Neil Balme, Graeme Allan briefly and, in two different incarnations, Geoff Walsh. That's not fair on any coach.

Hard questions must also be asked about recruiting, which is Derek Hine's brief. There have been successes, particularly in the midfield, now led by Adam Treloar. Jeremy Howe has also been a revelation. But Chris Mayne, Jesse White and Daniel Wells have been failures. Travis Varcoe has been serviceable. Darcy Moore is a forward on the rise, but has had no support. His best work has been further up the ground. A replacement for Travis Cloke has not been found. So, where to now? The Pies have immediate, short-term and long-term questions to debate. The consensus view in the football world is that Buckley would soon step down, such is the character of the man. The danger in allowing him to see out the season is that players, already without the lure of finals, have even less to play for if they know the coach won't be there next year. The Pies have interim senior options. Paul Roos can expect a phone call. So should Alastair Clarkson, if for no other reason than due diligence. The same with Brad Scott.

There are also implications in terms of trades. Would free-agent Tiger Dustin Martin want to know who will be in charge next year? Paul Roos can expect a phone call. So should Alastair Clarkson, if for no other reason than due diligence. The same with Brad Scott. The Pies have the money to woo Roos, the Swans' premiership coach who most recently helped to rebuild Melbourne's list. He is in the media and not tied to another club, as are Clarkson (contracted at Hawthorn through to end of 2019) and Scott (contracted at North until the end of 2018). John Barker, a level-four graduate in the AFL's official coaching course, came close to winning Carlton's top role. The other graduates were Adam Kingsley (St Kilda), Stuart Dew (Sydney), Robert Harvey (Collingwood), Simon Lloyd (Geelong) and Matthew Nicks (Port Adelaide). Is Brett Ratten ready to again apply for a head coaching role? Is there an experienced football boss in the manner of Chris Fagan wanting to be a senior coach? Without question, it promises to be another highly charged week at the Holden Centre.

IS ALASTAIR CLARKSON AT THE PEAK OF HIS POWERS? Playing catch-up: Alastair takes a grab during warm-up at Clarkson University of Tasmania Stadium in Launceston. Credit:Darrian Traynor Speaking of Alastair Clarkson, is there anyone coaching better than this man? We know he has four flags to his credit, and will be remembered as one of the greats. But his efforts in the past two months are those of a man desperate for more success. The Hawks may still be fighting to remain in contention for the finals, and the innovative Clarkson – and his assistants – have played a key role in resurrecting a campaign that threatened to be disastrous. He has challenged his men to be better, and to take on different – and greater – responsibility. Daniel Howe has become a tagger. He has been given the tasks of curbing Rory Sloane (23 disposals), Scott Pendlebury (21) and Dylan Shiel (31) in recent weeks, and done a good job. Taylor Duryea has become a defensive forward, Jack Gunston a wingman and half-back. Clarkson devised a plan against the Giants on Saturday where two half-forwards would begin the centre bounce at the back of the square, thus crowding the Giants' attacking 50. The Hawks had been concerned by the height of Jonathon Patton, Jeremy Cameron and, particularly, Rory Lobb. The Giants would eventually counter this move but Lobb and Cameron would finish with only one goal apiece. However, it was Patton who got off the chain, booting five.

As Clarkson pointed out after the Hawks and Giants drew, his back line is almost unrecognisable from last year's. Ryan Burton, who almost pinched victory with a clever tap over the goal line but was denied by the siren, and Blake Hardwick have been the young standouts, while James Sicily continues to impress. Kudos also to midfield general Tom Mitchell, who became the first man to enjoy 30 or more touches for 12 straight weeks. Fittingly, their season is on the line against Geelong on Saturday when Luke Hodge celebrates his 300th game. These clubs have been the league's best modern rivals – can Clarkson recreate one more "kill-the-shark" moment? For the Giants, with successive draws, it's a matter of holding the fort while they have only 27 fit players. Steve Johnson and Toby Greene are among those missed. One last point – does the siren need to be louder in Launceston? It's not the first time this has been questioned. Just ask Grant Thomas and Chris Connolly. TIGERS TUMBLE BUT INTRIGUE OVER DUSTY GROWS Earning his stripes: Richmond's star midfielder has boosted his value this season, but the Tigers face a tough run to September. Credit:AAP - Julian Smith

The manager of Dustin Martin is said to have shared a few light-hearted texts with a Richmond board member in recent weeks when the star midfielder has booted a goal, declaring the price to retain Martin has gone up per goal. Martin is worth every cent he is after but there was little to cheer about for the Tigers on Saturday night in what was one of the worst performances in the Damien Hardwick era now into its eighth season. This wasn't a team struggling near the foot of the ladder. Rather, the Tigers had been touted after their win over the Power as a legitimate premiership threat. Hardwick has taken umbrage with a Kane Cornes tweet that the Tigers had "got ahead" of themselves. Whether there was complacency, only each individual Tiger will know, but their lack of "elite" pressure was obvious. "Sometimes it's good to get a wake-up call," Hardwick said. The Tigers need only look to the Bulldogs to see that if the on-field pressure is not there, trouble follows. That skipper Trent Cotchin was booked on a stomach-punch charge (the second time this season he has needlessly found himself in trouble), and defender Dylan Grimes was forced to the bench in the second half after a crude head knock from Tim Membrey (who is set to be cited by the match review panel) which left him with a nasty lump on his cheekbone, is a worry for a side we know can fall back into old habits. The Lions are next up, then a true challenge awaits against the Giants. Incidentally, the texts from Martin's manager have been interpreted by some as a sign that Martin will stay. If he was at loggerheads with the Tigers or on the verge of leaving, some say, it's unlikely there would be any mirth between the parties. RIEWOLDT STARS ON A NIGHT DEDICATED TO MADDIE​

Purple reign: Roof projection to promote the Maddie's Match theme during round 16 at Etihad Stadium. Credit:Michael Dodge ​It wasn't just Clarkson who made a bold tactical move. Nick Riewoldt has undergone change in recent years, going from a specialist forward – one of the greatest of all-time – to often being used as a wingman pushing into attacking 50. On Saturday night, coach Alan Richardson gave him the task of being used in a negative role where his job was to subdue Alex Rance by limiting his intercept marking, from which the Tigers regularly counter-attack. Richardson's move came a week after the Power employed Jackson Trengove to do the same job. So good was Riewoldt on a night when funds were raised for the foundation named in honour of his late sister Maddie that he was actually a positive force – and one of the best afield. Keen to play on next year, but with no guarantees over a contract extension, Riewoldt would finish with 15 disposals, three goals and 12 marks. Rance had only three disposals to half-time, when the contest was all but over, and would finish with 11. It's that type of tactical nous which can carry the Saints into September. Loading There is much to like about the Saints, as shown with their 9.5 to 0.1 second term – their best quarter ever against the Tigers. Their ball use and the midfielders' recent willingness to defend have improved. They are enjoying four straight wins for the first time since 2011 but, please, resist the urge to declare they can win the premiership.