Do Collingwood need to enter a rebuild phase?

[Mynamesinuse]

Can you illuminate me about this top end talent, who it is and where its about to take the Saints?

Think they could have a decent tilt and sustained success.
Very good crop of young talent as well.

 

[Robroy22]

Think they could have a decent tilt and sustained success.
Very good crop of young talent as well.

You missed the "who it is" bit.

 

[HeathySure]

Eddie came in and the AFL turned Collingwood into its franchise. On the back of Channel 9 and the AFL it was inevitable.
Don’t bullshit with the best coaches and admin line because bullshit is exactly what it is.

Lol if you think coaches have zero influence in winning you might as well give the game away.

 

[HeathySure]

No your right the fixture over 30 years has done the club no favours.

its not our fault Carlton are disgusting and we play them twice. Thats on the Blues!

 

[HeathySure]

Think they could have a decent tilt and sustained success.
Very good crop of young talent as well.

Were these players drafted or obtained by trading/free agency?

Did tanking help you when you got Billings. Paddy McCartin, Hunter Clark, Nick Coffield, Max King and Phillipou who cant stay on the park as top 10 draft picks?
NAS is about the only player you have drafted to turn out to be a total star and you are not even likely to keep him in 2 years.

Give me older proven players any day

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Were these players drafted or obtained by trading/free agency?

Did tanking help you when you got Billings. Paddy McCartin, Hunter Clark, Nick Coffield, Max King and Phillipou who cant stay on the park as top 10 draft picks?
NAS is about the only player you have drafted to turn out to be a total star and you are not even likely to keep him in 2 years.

Give me older proven players any day

Pou will be elite and he along with NWM, Windhager, Flanders Wilson Hall, will be at the top end of midfields going forward.

Others that have shown as much as Collingwoods young stock If not more will be a watch.
Garcia Boxshall

Older blokes like Sinclair Wilkie Marshall Hill Wood Ryan Howard will be a solid base.

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Lol if you think coaches have zero influence in winning you might as well give the game away.

Who said they don’t?

 

[jakson68]

Think they could have a decent tilt and sustained success.
Very good crop of young talent as well.

I will give you NAS and Owens but I am unsure who the others are in this amazing crop of young talent that St Kilda have.

 

[doppleganger]

No your right the fixture over 30 years has done the club no favours.

We do get more than our share of games against rebuilding specialist teams in Carlton and Essendon.

That has been a blessing.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Pou will be elite and he along with NWM, Windhager, Flanders Wilson Hall, will be at the top end of midfields going forward.

Others that have shown as much as Collingwoods young stock If not more will be a watch.
Garcia Boxshall

Older blokes like Sinclair Wilkie Marshall Hill Wood Ryan Howard will be a solid base.

Flanders was a good get for the Saints.

Would think every teams young stock have shown more than the Pies. Daicos the one glaring exception.

 

[Mynamesinuse]

I will give you NAS and Owens but I am unsure who the others are in this amazing crop of young talent that St Kilda have.

That’s ok shows your ignorance to all things football.
Should try watching other teams.

 

[HeathySure]

Pou will be elite and he along with NWM, Windhager, Flanders Wilson Hall, will be at the top end of midfields going forward.

Others that have shown as much as Collingwoods young stock If not more will be a watch.
Garcia Boxshall

Older blokes like Sinclair Wilkie Marshall Hill Wood Ryan Howard will be a solid base.

lol this is all speculation. Pou might be, but he has played about 5 good games in his career so far. You missed my favourite Saints up and comer. Mitchito, he is a star being played out of position. Anyway we could look at every team and they have similar players, doesnt mean they will play finals though. Now tell me how old your base players are? Sinclair Wilkie Marshall Hill Wood Ryan Howard

 

[Mynamesinuse]

lol this is all speculation. Pou might be, but he has played about 5 good games in his career so far. You missed my favourite Saints up and comer. Mitchito, he is a star being played out of position. Anyway we could look at every team and they have similar players, doesnt mean they will play finals though. Now tell me how old your base players are? Sinclair Wilkie Marshall Hill Wood Ryan Howard

You see those older group they’ve all got younger players pushing up that are AFL standard .

Higgins - Ryan
Trav - Sinclair
Tauru - Wilkie
TDK - Marshall
Hall- Wood
Wilson - Hill
Camminitti - Howard
Pou- Macrae
Windy- Steele

 

[jakson68]

That’s ok shows your ignorance to all things football.
Should try watching other teams.

Well you have been asked from several posters now to enlighten us with these special young players but as yet nothing.
What is considered a "young player"?
Under 22?
Under 25?

Split the difference, I will give you 23 and under.
NAS - future star
Owens - future star
Wilson - shows potential
Hall - shows potential
Windhager - good tagger
Tauru - colt figure but to early to tell
Phillipou - hasn't set the world alight.

A group of good average players, with a couple of standouts. Not exactly an amazing crop of young talent.

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Well you have been asked from several posters now to enlighten us with these special young players but as yet nothing.
What is considered a "young player"?
Under 22?
Under 25?

Split the difference, I will give you 23 and under.
NAS - future star
Owens - future star
Wilson - shows potential
Hall - shows potential
Windhager - good tagger
Tauru - colt figure but to early to tell
Phillipou - hasn't set the world alight.

A group of good average players, with a couple of standouts. Not exactly an amazing crop of young talent.

Pou has shown more than any Under 25 on Collingwoods list not named Daicos as has Wilson Windhager

Tauru your right but from what we’ve seen he should be a star

 

[Robroy22]

Pou will be elite and he along with NWM, Windhager, Flanders Wilson Hall, will be at the top end of midfields going forward.

Others that have shown as much as Collingwoods young stock If not more will be a watch.
Garcia Boxshall

Older blokes like Sinclair Wilkie Marshall Hill Wood Ryan Howard will be a solid base.

Thanks for finally answering the question Adam. I really love watching NWM play and think Tauru will be an excellent interceptor in years to come. Wilson is quick and has a tank, Windy we know well as a tagger. Flanders will add stability to the midfield but is hardly "young talent". Garcia is coming on nicely (about as well as Harvey Harrison was before his ACL) or Will Parker is now. Boxshall is a good size and finds the ball, a bit like our new boy Angus Anderson.

As you can tell, I'm not one to "write off" young talent as "top end or no good"...cos I know players mature differently and access to elite programs and coaches can turn players drafted well below their draft year compatriots into absolute guns. What I don't appreciate though is when others (with an agenda, grudge or just plain dislike) lets call them trolls....when those persons just regurgitate the same old rubbish over and over again about why one club (usually my own....go figure) just has to fail because well....because their clubs have.

Being involved with footy for well over 7 decades now of course you get used to it's ups and downs. Usually there's a distinct reason (I know for instance how my club suffered when Bob Rose went bush....or how we capitulated badly after the death of Darren Millane) but clubs always find a way to get back, well at least those I've been involved with have.

I really hope for your sake (and other Sainters diehards) that they get rolling again real soon. I appreciate a close AFL competition and enjoy the exploits of all its players. I'm looking forward to seeing our young players force their way forward, just as Pendles, Sidey and our other oldies once had to.

Lets not play this silly rubbish "cliff" stuff anymore eh?

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Thanks for finally answering the question Adam. I really love watching NWM play and think Tauru will be an excellent interceptor in years to come. Wilson is quick and has a tank, Windy we know well as a tagger. Flanders will add stability to the midfield but is hardly "young talent". Garcia is coming on nicely (about as well as Harvey Harrison was before his ACL) or Will Parker is now. Boxshall is a good size and finds the ball, a bit like our new boy Angus Anderson.

As you can tell, I'm not one to "write off" young talent as "top end or no good"...cos I know players mature differently and access to elite programs and coaches can turn players drafted well below their draft year compatriots into absolute guns. What I don't appreciate though is when others (with an agenda, grudge or just plain dislike) lets call them trolls....when those persons just regurgitate the same old rubbish over and over again about why one club (usually my own....go figure) just has to fail because well....because their clubs have.

Being involved with footy for well over 7 decades now of course you get used to it's ups and downs. Usually there's a distinct reason (I know for instance how my club suffered when Bob Rose went bush....or how we capitulated badly after the death of Darren Millane) but clubs always find a way to get back, well at least those I've been involved with have.

I really hope for your sake (and other Sainters diehards) that they get rolling again real soon. I appreciate a close AFL competition and enjoy the exploits of all its players. I'm looking forward to seeing our young players force their way forward, just as Pendles, Sidey and our other oldies once had to.

Lets not play this silly rubbish "cliff" stuff anymore eh?

That’s all great but Rob if you have been involved for 70 years you’ll know top end talent wins games.
Yes I do understand the benefits of have a mature team as players with one maybe two years can come fill in and the side will beat up on younger inexperienced teams.
Then the pendulum shifts and unless you’ve looked after the bottom end of your list the cliff comes.

 

[Count_Zero]

Thanks for finally answering the question Adam. I really love watching NWM play and think Tauru will be an excellent interceptor in years to come. Wilson is quick and has a tank, Windy we know well as a tagger. Flanders will add stability to the midfield but is hardly "young talent". Garcia is coming on nicely (about as well as Harvey Harrison was before his ACL) or Will Parker is now. Boxshall is a good size and finds the ball, a bit like our new boy Angus Anderson.

Sorry, dont want to pick a fight but who is Harvey Harrison, Will Parker, and Angus Anderson?
And will those guys replace Sidebottom, Pendles, and Howe next season or even this one?

 

[Robroy22]

That’s all great but Rob if you have been involved for 70 years you’ll know top end talent wins games.
Yes I do understand the benefits of have a mature team as players with one maybe two years can come fill in and the side will beat up on younger inexperienced teams.
Then the pendulum shifts and unless you’ve looked after the bottom end of your list the cliff comes.

Ok....so even though sides have been proving this wrong for 4-5-6-10 years now (that the wheels eventually fall off and you can no longer rebuild whilst still being competitive (finals bound)....the entire world has to accept (well ONLY pies supporters actually, Sydney, Geelong, Brissy, they don't count cos they have high end young players like St Kilda)
The pendulum only gets you if you let it.

So how long are you predicting we'll be cactus for Adam? 6 years currently like the Saints? Longer??


Also I'm a trifle confused by your "You'll know top end talent wins games"....statement.
Are you defining top end talent by draft position? Because that's clearly not going to favour the sides winning flags yet in AFL history (particularly recent AFL history)....it's just not the case. The last real bottom to top rebuild would be the Hawks under Clarkson which took them 3 years to get a Flag and another 6 years after that to enter the dynasty stage.

So if its not draft position that defines "top end talent" what is it? Is it All Australian players...are they the elite? Cos if they are: Why have the premiers only had 2-3 all Australian's in their teams over the years? St Kilda had two to Collingwood's 3 in 2023....yet they finished nowhere near us?

So I'm finding it hard to understand your point of view. Your arguments seem to be: That every side has to find the cliff eventually and that its Collingwood's turn to head to oblivion. It seems to fly in the face of the facts to date but I guess its one possibility (and its certainly NOT something we've not heard before....yawn) I'll accept its a possibility.

Yet you seem unable to comprehend (dare I say unwilling to accept) that the opposite is equally feasible. That the Pies might once again find a way to remain competitive and to continue on our merry way under Fly.

 

[Peters_Nuts]

Sorry, dont want to pick a fight but who is Harvey Harrison, Will Parker, and Angus Anderson?
And will those guys replace Sidebottom, Pendles, and Howe next season or even this one?

Fair question!

Harvey Harrison - Small forward who played in patches in 2023 and 2024 before doing his knee. 22 years old with a good goal sense. He's bulked up a bit since doing his knee and is training really well. Hopefully a regular in 2026.

Will Parker - Fairly high rated junior who chose to pursue cricket (played for the Hobart Hurricanes I think). We got him as a Cat. B rookie and in improving every year. 23 years old and played off half back in 2024 and 2025. Who knows where we're putting him this year though he's very composed and is a very good user, which he showed in the 2025 Qualifying Final. Majority of us believe he should have played in the prelim over Howe though we rolled the dice which failed because Howe was not match fit.

Angus Anderson - 22 year old inside mid from this years draft. Was best on ground in the SANFL Grand Final. Bit of an unknown for us though is training well and will probably pop up here or there in 2026. Worth the punt.

To answer you question, Anderson might be a replacement for Pendles or Sidey though obviously yet to be seen. I think I posted a few pages ago who the likely replacements are.

 

[Obeanie1]

Ok....so even though sides have been proving this wrong for 4-5-6-10 years now (that the wheels eventually fall off and you can no longer rebuild whilst still being competitive (finals bound)....the entire world has to accept (well ONLY pies supporters actually, Sydney, Geelong, Brissy, they don't count cos they have high end young players like St Kilda)
The pendulum only gets you if you let it.

So how long are you predicting we'll be cactus for Adam? 6 years currently like the Saints? Longer??


Also I'm a trifle confused by your "You'll know top end talent wins games"....statement.
Are you defining top end talent by draft position? Because that's clearly not going to favour the sides winning flags yet in AFL history (particularly recent AFL history)....it's just not the case. The last real bottom to top rebuild would be the Hawks under Clarkson which took them 3 years to get a Flag and another 6 years after that to enter the dynasty stage.

So if its not draft position that defines "top end talent" what is it? Is it All Australian players...are they the elite? Cos if they are: Why have the premiers only had 2-3 all Australian's in their teams over the years? St Kilda had two to Collingwood's 3 in 2023....yet they finished nowhere near us?

So I'm finding it hard to understand your point of view. Your arguments seem to be: That every side has to find the cliff eventually and that its Collingwood's turn to head to oblivion. It seems to fly in the face of the facts to date but I guess its one possibility (and its certainly NOT something we've not heard before....yawn) I'll accept its a possibility.

So it could go either way.

But no one can see the future.

 

[doppleganger]

You see those older group they’ve all got younger players pushing up that are AFL standard .

Higgins - Ryan

Higgins will be 27 in March, struggling if that is first youth you list.

That is senior core.

 

[ShereKhan]

The players that aren't there in 2026 played a total of 66 games in a premiership contending 2025 team.

The following players played 28 games for Collingwood in 2025:
Steele
Parker
Hayes
Harrison
Jiath
West
McInnes
Allen
Buller
DiMattia
Anderson

Reckon they'd be confident they can get 100 games out of that group in 2026 to compensate for the departures.

I expect they will be expecting about 150 games to be played by that group of players, many of whom have been developing nicely in the VFL, as is the want of strong teams who are regularly in premiership contention.

I obviously don’t follow the Pies VFL performances, but which have been developing ‘nicely’ ? Anyone with eyes on being a quality senior player really should be dominating VFL level. For example, Sam Banks played VFL and had a 45-possession game. Tyler Sonsie who is very much a fringe senior player gets 35 and 10 clearances every VFL game he plays. MacCauliffe has had injuries but every time he plays VFL he’s as good as BOG and dominates. Basically they show they are multiple steps above VFL level. (Paddy Dow gets 35 playing VFL, Tsatas gets 35 and so on …. it’s crystal clear they are beyond the level).

Which of that list from the Pies have shown to be too good for VFL level? This is not a gotchya question or anything … it’s genuinely wondering which players from that list are ready for playing quality senior footy, and what did they do at VFL level to show this?

 

[Robroy22]

Sorry, dont want to pick a fight but who is Harvey Harrison, Will Parker, and Angus Anderson?
And will those guys replace Sidebottom, Pendles, and Howe next season or even this one?

No fight young man. Will Parker is an ex state cricketer who's played about 10 games now, mostly down back and indeed played in the final against Adelaide in his latest game. Very Promising small/ medium defender who is currently training both back and mid.

Harvey Harrison hasn't played for 18 months due to complications from ACL surgery but is now back in full training. He's played 16 games but was established best 22 as a high half forward / mid in 2024 where he kicked a dozen or so goals from as many games, then did his knee. He's super quick, good mark for his size and has the ability and flexibility to play a number of roles.

Angus Anderson was our final draft pick in November. He's a mature age 190cm midfielder who was best afield in the SANFL Grand final. Built like a bull, plays like one too.

These three won't replace Sidebottom, his wing spot has already been taken by Roan Steele (midseason draft 2025) and if Sidey plays forward in '26 that spot will eventually go to Will Hayes or Jai Saxena.

Pendles mid spot was taken over a lot last year by a combination of Crisp, Perryman and Josh Daicos. Those three will feature again in '26 as there's rumours of Pendles slumming behind the ball at half back! We also just drafted Tyan Prindable ( a left footed mid from Brisbane Lions Academy) and Sam Swadling another super quick running machine from WA.

Howie has already been coaching his replacements for a year. One of the trio of Tew Jiath (Cj's taller brother), Joel Cochran (Sydney Swans Academy) or Jacob Ryan (SA) will eventually slot in for Howie. However seeing we've been playing half seasons without Howe for 2-3 years now...he's sort've been replaced to a certain extent many times already.

Hope that helps

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Ok....so even though sides have been proving this wrong for 4-5-6-10 years now (that the wheels eventually fall off and you can no longer rebuild whilst still being competitive (finals bound)....the entire world has to accept (well ONLY pies supporters actually, Sydney, Geelong, Brissy, they don't count cos they have high end young players like St Kilda)
The pendulum only gets you if you let it.

So how long are you predicting we'll be cactus for Adam? 6 years currently like the Saints? Longer??


Also I'm a trifle confused by your "You'll know top end talent wins games"....statement.
Are you defining top end talent by draft position? Because that's clearly not going to favour the sides winning flags yet in AFL history (particularly recent AFL history)....it's just not the case. The last real bottom to top rebuild would be the Hawks under Clarkson which took them 3 years to get a Flag and another 6 years after that to enter the dynasty stage.

So if its not draft position that defines "top end talent" what is it? Is it All Australian players...are they the elite? Cos if they are: Why have the premiers only had 2-3 all Australian's in their teams over the years? St Kilda had two to Collingwood's 3 in 2023....yet they finished nowhere near us?

So I'm finding it hard to understand your point of view. Your arguments seem to be: That every side has to find the cliff eventually and that its Collingwood's turn to head to oblivion. It seems to fly in the face of the facts to date but I guess its one possibility (and its certainly NOT something we've not heard before....yawn) I'll accept its a possibility.

Yet you seem unable to comprehend (dare I say unwilling to accept) that the opposite is equally feasible. That the Pies might once again find a way to remain competitive and to continue on our merry way under Fly.

Brisbane top to bottom

Why do you think every other club has fallen off a cliff ?
West Coast are an extremely well run club.
Richmond the same.

It’s inevitable unless you’ve looked after either get f/s regularly or academy kids.

You know that the kids replacing Pendles Sidebottom Howe are no where them even in decline.
it happens to all clubs.