Terry Wallace believes the Collingwood forward line cannot be blamed for the side’s poor run of form.
The Magpies were well below their best when beating the Western Bulldogs in Round 14 and have since lost to North Melbourne and Hawthorn in what have been impotent performances.
Key forward Mason Cox has been central to the criticism directed at the Pies but Wallace insists he and his fellow forwards cannot be blamed for the poor ball movement.
“They’re not moving the ball,” he said on SEN’s The Match Committee.
“If you get 16 inside 50s in a half, how are your forwards going to get any real supply?
“That’s been Collingwood’s lot. I don’t really blame the forwards.
“I think it’s more the interceptors down back (Jeremy Howe and Tom Langdon) going out of the team that starts your flow going.
“We’ve seen every side going slower and slower but I just think Collingwood have got it wrong and their ball movement has really stopped.
“They look like they are playing in quicksand at the moment.”
The Magpies have averaged just 38 inside 50s over their past three games.
Nathan Buckley’s side will look to bounce back when they take on reigning premier West Coast at Optus Stadium tonight.