Could 2022 potentially deliver another? Few people would ever associate the word fairytale with a famous, brash old club like Collingwood, but some more romantically-inclined Magpies have started at least considering the possibility with a straight face. And why not?

It's clear already this particular premiership is not only a more open race than just about any in living memory, but also more likely than most to be won by the side which peaks at the perfect moment.

And given the progress Collingwood has already made between round one and now, could that not just as easily apply to the Magpies as the likes of Melbourne, Geelong or Brisbane?

It's certainly testament yet again to the possibilities for clubs coming off even the most abject of years.

And that was certainly the Collingwood Football Club in 2021.

The annus horribilis began with the "Do Better" report into endemic racism. The reaction to which ended up hastening the end of chairman Eddie McGuire's reign.

That in turn sparked a year-long political joust between various board factions.

Not surprisingly, given that backdrop, things fell apart on the field, coach Nathan Buckley gone by mid-season, Collingwood finishing 17th, its lowest ever ladder position, with just six wins.

The veterans looked tired and almost finished, and while a handful of kids showed some promise, they, too, were mired in a brand of football which at times looked soporific, the Magpies laborious in their approach to goal and a dismal 16th for points scored.

The transformation under new coach Craig McRae has been quite remarkable.

As much as the results McRae is achieving - Collingwood now sitting sixth on the ladder at 10-5 but just a game away from second spot - it's the energy, spark and enthusiasm with which this mixture of greenhorns and experienced hands is going about its work which presents the most stark possible contrast with last season.

The contributors are everywhere. There's the incredible debut season of Nick Daicos and the further improvement that's inspired in his brother Josh.

There's the emergence of Jack Ginnivan and Ollie Henry up forward. Darcy Cameron in the ruck.

More durability and thus leadership from the likes of Jeremy Howe and Jamie Elliott.

Speaking of durability, you need a little good fortune on the injury front, and Collingwood might have had a sizeable dose of that the other day, too, when critical key defender Darcy Moore escaped major knee damage.

There's greater flexibility, too. The idea last year Collingwood could get by without ruckman Brodie Grundy for the bulk of the season would have been unthinkable.

But the Pies have barely missed a beat since the best and fairest winning All-Australian ruckman was injured in round six thanks to Cameron and, more recently, the renaissance of Mason Cox.

Then there's the way Collingwood plays. Given McRae's Richmond coaching background and that of his assistant Justin Leppitsch, there's not surprisingly a clear Tiger look about the Pies this season.

They're direct. They're happy to bang the ball forward and lock it in with sheer pressure.

And with more avenues to goal they're not nearly as predictable.

They're tough in a tight finish too, Saturday night's thriller against Gold Coast not just their sixth win in a row, but the fourth by 11 points or less.

You don't keep winning the close ones by accident, either. The spirit among this group is palpable. And they've been lifted in turn, by the fervour of the Magpie hordes in the stands.

It's a fine line, and a tight ladder means Collingwood need to keep winning. But the Pies have a decent run home, and are sixth, just a game outside the top four. And those sides above them hold few fears.

They've beaten Melbourne in the Queen's Birthday round. Fremantle in Perth. And the also vastly-improved Carlton in a Sunday afternoon cracker in front of 80,000-plus.

The other two members of that top five are Geelong and Brisbane.

The Pies lost by only a couple of goals to the Cats, and just seven points against the Lions at the Gabba.

That's credibility right there.

Of course there's still plenty of football to be played this season. But Collingwood has already made dills of some of us who (believe it or not) thought they might even finish one spot lower than last year.

It's going to take some time to live that down.

But the prospect of another footy fairytale - yes, even one involving the Pies - might make the embarrassment worth it.