First came the validation and now comes the acid test for Collingwood.
Having returned to form with Saturday's record Anzac Day win over Essendon, the Magpies will back up on Thursday night in the AFL blockbuster against Hawthorn at the MCG
Boasting a 6-1 record, the Hawks will be a much tougher proposition than the Bombers. Hawthorn also will regain co-captain James Sicily and fellow star Dylan Moore from suspension.
Collingwood are 4-3 but will be without Scott Pendlebury, who turned back the clock with a best-afield game on Anzac Day. Fellow veteran Jeremy Howe will also be managed, while Beau McReery and Tim Membrey are injured.
But the Magpies will welcome back captain Darcy Moore for only his second game this season. Jack Buller, Ned Long and Wil Parker will also return.
And most importantly, they feel they are regaining their mojo.
Anzac Day was the first time since late last season that Collingwood had scored more than 100 points in a game. McRae said the thrashing had come off the back of five weeks' work on how they are playing.
It certainly came as no surprise to acting captain Brayden Maynard.
"We hadn't been able to score, which everyone knew, but in the background, we were thinking, 'let's just be patient, we know what we're doing, it will click'," Maynard told AAP.
"I felt like on Anzac Day, it clicked, finally - but we have to keep doing what we're doing.
"We've taken a lot out of that game and I feel like to be able to put a score on, it was a great step forward - and having belief that we can put a score on the board like that.
"Defensively, we were so strong, we did what we needed to do. Now we can just put our whole game together and go forward, get better every day."
Maynard noted that Hawthorn are possibly the best team in the competition. And after the Hawks, they will play Geelong and top side Sydney - meaning a searching three-week test of how much they are improving.
"But we have serious belief in what we're doing," Maynard said.
