DESPITE obvious disappointment in the wake of Friday night’s one-point loss to Collingwood, Bulldog coach Rodney Eade says he will take more positives than negatives from his side’s fifth loss of the season.

The Dogs led the inside 50 count 62-47 and clearances 45-27, yet had to rally from 34 points down at three-quarter time. The side piled on six last-quarter goals before falling agonisingly short against the Magpies.

“Probably in the end you’re going to take more positives than negatives because I think the negatives are rectifiable, and rectifiable very quickly,” Eade said.

“Against a top-four side, to go down by a point where most of indicators are in front, we just didn’t take our chances.

“Obviously we showed a lot of fight, a lot of courage and that’s one thing about the group, they really do persevere and hang in there, so that was very pleasing.

“Just the amount of mistakes and our intensity was down a bit.”

Eade was at a loss to explain the side’s slow start – Collingwood kicked seven of the games opening eight goals inside 20 minutes of the first bounce, but said a half-time spray helped steer them back on course.

“I don’t know. Two six-day breaks against a quality team, we seemed to be flat,” he said of the Dogs’ opening term.

“They got a bit of a wake-up call at half time.”

The loss leaves the Dogs equal with Collingwood on 10 wins and with important games against Essendon and St Kilda to come.

Eade was it was a missed opportunity and one his side must learn from.