Do Collingwood need to enter a rebuild phase?

[doppleganger]

Yes you finished 4th, but you lost 6 of the last 8 games in 2025, and I remember years ago North fell off a cliff in a similar way near the end of a season and it was the first big sign a rebuild was needed for them.

In 2025, we lost 5 of the last 7 H&A games
In 2023, we lost 3 of the last 5 H&A games

In 2023 we knocked off Brisbane to win the flag, in 2025 Brisbane knocked us off to win the flag.

Looks like Fly is happy to put the queue in the rack for last bit of H&A when finals / top 4 is locked in.

 

[RUNVS]

In 2025, we lost 5 of the last 7 H&A games
In 2023, we lost 3 of the last 5 H&A games

In 2023 we knocked off Brisbane to win the flag, in 2025 Brisbane knocked us off to win the flag.

Looks like Fly is happy to put the queue in the rack for last bit of H&A when finals / top 4 is locked in.

So he was happy to give away a home final? I mean in 2025 Collingwood were within a whisker of missing out on a double chance, no coach would deliberately put their team in that position.

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

Yes you finished 4th, but you lost 6 of the last 8 games in 2025, and I remember years ago North fell off a cliff in a similar way near the end of a season and it was the first big sign a rebuild was needed for them.

So because some random team (North) fell off a cliff 6-7 years ago in a certain way, it's going to happen to Collingwood because they struggled a little late season. Have you heard of the gambler's fallacy?

 

[doppleganger]

So he was happy to give away a home final? I mean in 2025 Collingwood were within a whisker of missing out on a double chance, no coach would deliberately put their team in that position.

It didn't matter one bit.

We won our QF, and like 2023 had a week off and PF at the G.

Brisbane were better on the day, it happens.

 

[Aido97]

A Pies first 18 based on players born 1995 or earlier, 30 or younger currently.

Quaynor, Frampton, McInnes
Houston, Moore, Maynard
Lipinski, Perryman, J.Daicos
Cameron, N.Daicos, N.Long
McReery, McStay, B.Hill
Schulz, DeGoey, H.Harrison

It is the KPD/F spots where we need some of the raw kids to blossom at VFL level in the next couple of years - West, Buller, Cochran, Steene, McCarthy - or else we go hunting for mature players.

I think the issue isnt that you would necessarily be bottom 4 with that side more theyve proven to not be good enough now (with Sidebottom, Crisp and Pendlebury and Howe etc playing better footy) and the ones in bold have no scope for further improvement / will only go backwards from here. You risk being stuck in complete no mans land

Add to that the non bolded is Daicos who is elite and the rest who are absolute rubbish.

McStay and Frampton are list cloggers. De Goey is well past it despite being young has been cruelled by injury and looks a shadow of the 2018 player. Hill who knows where his head is at. Lipinski, Schulz and Perryman are journeyman role players and Houston needs to bounce back after a putrid 2025

 

[Scotland]

Collingwood have an old team but also a prime team.

They had 8 players in the prelim side that will be 32 or older in 2026. Mihocek and Cox have already gone. They don't need to move on from the other 6, but in the next 1-2 years they will. Their core of players 22-29 is pretty good, so it's not like they are Hawthorn or Richmond where they had a drop off from a core of players that had been stars that were all 30+ to mostly role players.

They do need to keep adding to the list via the draft and FA, but they don't need to Jerry Krause it. Most of the teams at the bottom have hit the draft for years and have a dozen players younger than Nick Daicos but not as good.

 

[HeathySure]

The thread is about Collingwood, there's hundreds of Carlton threads around if you want to enter one.

i am using Carlton AND Melbourne as an example of why rebuilding through the draft doesn't work. If you think this post was about Carlton you are deluded.

 

[Mynamesinuse]

We've only had the current drafting team for a year....our old crew are going to be involved with the Tassie mob though so the AFL must reckon they can pick talent somehow?

Ok name some significant wins other than FS and Academy the last 6-7 years.

 

[Fadge]

So he was happy to give away a home final? I mean in 2025 Collingwood were within a whisker of missing out on a double chance, no coach would deliberately put their team in that position.

Suspect he was hoping to win one of the 3 games against Gold Coast, Freo or Adelaide over the last few rounds, that we lost by a combined margin of 10 points.

But we had bad luck on that front, and good luck with the Port win against GC.

Swings and roundabouts - when you set yourself up with a 14 and 2 start to the season, you don't need much to go your way to lock away a top 4 spot.

 

[HeathySure]

Ok name some significant wins other than FS and Academy the last 6-7 years.

it doesn't matter. its not the only way to get a good side

 

[Fadge]

i am using Carlton AND Melbourne as an example of why rebuilding through the draft doesn't work. If you think this post was about Carlton you are deluded.

'Victim Complex'.

 

[Fadge]

it doesn't matter. its not the only way to get a good side

Do we have to pretend our elite Father Sons and Academy players aren't on Collingwood's list whilst playing this game as well?

 

[doppleganger]

I think the issue isnt that you would necessarily be bottom 4 with that side more theyve proven to not be good enough now (with Sidebottom, Crisp and Pendlebury and Howe etc playing better footy) and the ones in bold have no scope for further improvement / will only go backwards from here.

The point is that the side I listed deliberately removes the six really old veterans - Pendles, Sidey, Howe, Crisp, Elliott and Membrey. For 2026, they are obviously on the list and should still be decent options.

Again for 2026, plenty of bolded players can improve on their 2025 output - Hill, Houston, DeGoey, Shultz, McReery and McStay - they are senior guys who were down in 2025.

We ain't just hoping for development from kids.

Back when GC and GWS came in, they had all the draft picks and we're going to dominate...but it was Hawks, Cats and Swans who were duking it out for majority of the mid 2010s, after they were up their for majority of the mid to late 2000s and they are again strong in 2020s.

Meanwhile Essendon and Carlton continue to win the drafts, and stock up on the best kids...

 

[markm106]

I think a rebuild needs both draft and trade/FA acquisition. Melbourne built a premiership list through some early draft picks Trac Clarry Brayshaw etc. but also some trades like May Lever Langdon Brown. And some not so early picks like Gawn Harmes Fritsch etc.
I’ll be very surprised if Collingwood can sustain success without at some point accessing talent through the draft. They got very lucky being able to get Daicos who you can basically build a team around. But he likes of Sidebottom Pendles and Howe have had a very good late career surge under McRae. That can’t last and the end to last season showed.
I don’t see how they don’t drop away next season as they haven’t really improved the list. To avoid the cliff they are going to have to get some absolute quality in via FA and draft soon.
Geelong were long tipped to hit the cliff. However they have got in some elite talent via trade. And their drafting has been amazing given they haven’t hit the bottom 4 or so.

 

[Robroy22]

Yes you finished 4th, but you lost 6 of the last 8 games in 2025, and I remember years ago North fell off a cliff in a similar way near the end of a season and it was the first big sign a rebuild was needed for them.

Didn't the Swannies lose a heap of games at the start of 2025....like 8 of the first 12?

Probably due to injuries to key players methinks.....

When Pies lost those games at the end of 2025.....again access to some pretty key players was denied them.

Are the Swans in the same boat as the Pies? Again....methinks not.

 

[Robroy22]

Ok name some significant wins other than FS and Academy the last 6-7 years.

Do you want Premiership players like McCreery? Or just youngsters like Long, West and co?

 

[morsie]

Collingwood I hate to say it,will be fine. Well coached,great system and enough talent still to make top 4.Only question mark is I am not sure where the goals are coming from.

 

[Worm4]

Collingwood I hate to say it,will be fine. Well coached,great system and enough talent still to make top 4.Only question mark is I am not sure where the goals are coming from.

Ive been told Buller is the man

 

[Mynamesinuse]

Do you want Premiership players like McCreery? Or just youngsters like Long, West and co?

Players that when a host of players retire will carry the club.

 

[Pleasedontfail11]

Players that when a host of players retire will carry the club.

A host is an interesting term.
We lose Pendlebury, Sidebottom and Howe in 1-2 years.
We lose , Elliott, DeGoey, Crisp, McStay, Houston and Moore in 3-5 years.
We will be losing 1 to 2 a year for the next 5 years. I assume that's pretty normal for most clubs.

 

[daicosdemis]

Do you think you're the only club trading in B graders ?

You need the balance of the draft and trades. You don't have it and will pay the price. Enjoy.

Now that's bullshit and you know it.
We are able to attract players more than most clubs and we are able to retain players better than most clubs. You won't ever be seeing any mass exodus from our club like you just saw with Carlton.
We are the biggest sporting club in the land, with all the benefits that come with it. Accept it.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

Now that's bullshit and you know it.
We are able to attract players more than most clubs and we are able to retain players better than most clubs. You won't ever be seeing any mass exodus from our club like you just saw with Carlton.
We are the biggest sporting club in the land, with all the benefits that come with it. Accept it.

Treloar, Grundy, Adams, Stephenson ring a bell?

 

[Worm4]

Treloar, Grundy, Adams, Stephenson ring a bell?

Ginni

 

[doppleganger]

Treloar, Grundy, Adams, Stephenson ring a bell?

They were players the Pies pushed out as we either didn't want to pay them anymore, or didn't want to play them - the players themselves would have been happy at the Pies.

But different to Carlton players declaring I anywhere but this shit hole to their manager.

 

[WalshistheGOAT]

They were players the Pies pushed out as we either didn't want to pay them anymore, or didn't want to play them - the players themselves would have been happy at the Pies.

But different to Carlton players declaring I anywhere but this shit hole to their manager.

Sounds a bit like TDK who wanted to stay but Blues wouldn't cough up 1.7 mil for a ruck...

Pies are in dire need of a rebuild. Club is hoping DeGoey is finally over his OP issues but he never keeps himself in good condition even at the best of times. Personally think they'd have been better off shopping him around and getting a couple of decent picks for him for an injection of youth for the future.

Pendles, Howe and Sidebottom are flag chasing but I don't think many neutrals think the Pies are any chance in 2026 after Brisbane spanked them and then went out and got better in the trade and draft period while the Pies got worse.

Imo will look back in 12 months time with regret they didn't move them all on sooner.