 Collingwood jumped from 13th in 2017 to 3rd in 2018, sensationally knocking out reigning premiers in the preliminary final before falling five points short after leading for most of the match against West Coast in the 2018 Grand Final, the senior team's 27th defeat in a Grand Final.Buckley's growth as a coach was partially credited for the rapid improvement.In 2019, Collingwood had another strong season, finishing fourth on the ladder, but they were unable to return to the Grand Final after a shattering four-point defeat to in the first preliminary final.