Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse believes his side took a significant step forward against North Melbourne on Saturday and he expects further improvement week-by-week leading into the club's first bye.
Malthouse was critical of a third-quarter lapse in the Magpies' Round 1 75-point win against Port Adelaide.
He was much more satisfied, however, with the sustained pressure they applied in Saturday's 87-point thumping of the Kangaroos.
"I don't know whether or not it was complete," Malthouse told his post-match media conference.
"I wasn't overly happy with the first half because I thought we mucked around with the ball a bit."
"But once we had our forwards in position, then we had targets and on top of that we had good crumbing players which I thought we lacked last week."
"Players were working together a bit better and I thought defensively over the ground we were better."
"It's another step."
Malthouse said he expects the Pies to lift a notch for next Friday night's blockbuster against Carlton at the MCG where they'll unveil their 2010 premiership flag, and for that trend to continue right through to the first of the club's two byes in Round 7.
"I don't think any side has got the capabilities of playing top-level football for the whole year and not be knocked around a bit, both mentally and physically," he said.
"Our goal is to be cautious, take one step at a time and improve on the previous week until such time as we can have that break in week seven and then re-analyse where we're at."
Malthouse said he expects skipper Nick Maxwell to be available for the Blues clash after five weeks on the sidelines with internal bleeding caused by a bone-shattering bump from Eagle Andrew Embley during the NAB Cup.
There are up to 12 players, Malthouse said, pushing for senior selection at Collingwood, and most of them would get an opportunity at one time or another during the season.
He conceded the likes of Simon Buckley, who's made the most of his opportunities in his second season at the club, may be apprehensive about holding his place.
But he said the former Demon has plenty to recommend him.
"He would be the first to say, Nick Maxwell is coming back next week, do I get a game? That would be the question going around in his head," said Malthouse.
"But he's got height and weight, he's a thumping kick, very quick, and he's a man who's desperate."
"There's a lot of ingredients there that make up a footballer that wants to stay in the side, and that's good for us."