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PIES LOOK TO LOCK DOWN PREMIERSHIP STAR
- Jay Clark
Collingwood is closing on a new deal to keep gun midfielder Patrick Lipinski at the club for three more years.
The Magpies have moved early to lock away the former Bulldog until the end of 2027 following long-term contract extensions for Jordan De Goey (2027) and Nick Daicos (2029) and his brother Josh (2030).
Lipinski, 25, was the Magpies’ sub in last year’s pulsating Grand Final win and looks set to take his game to a new level this year after a standout performance in the pre-season win over Richmond last week.
The hard-running midfielder was one of the biggest eye-catchers of Collingwood’s pre-season campaign, gathering 23 touches including a team-high 11 score involvements against the Tigers.
Collingwood coaches rate the workhorse highly for his tireless running and selfless defensive efforts in support for brilliant ballwinners Daicos and De Goey.
In particular, the versatile playmaker is seen a key pillar of the midfield moving forward as champion veterans Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom consider their futures.
The new deal provides Lipinski security over the prime part of his career after brushing off some serious injury issues which limited his output and restricted him to only 14 games last season.
But he has hit the ground running this summer and is eager to play out the remainder of his career in black and white after switching clubs at the end of a five-year stint at the kennel.
While Lipinski was on the fringe of the Dogs midfield during that period, Collingwood has made clear the club sees him as a key member of the senior engine room.
It was a shrewd move from Collingwood boss Graham Wright who orchestrated a deal with the Dogs for pick 43 after 11 senior games there in 2021.
While there were several clubs chasing Lipinski, the smooth-moving midfielder and his manager, Nick Gieschen from Connors Sports, made the call to join a Collingwood team making a fresh start under new coach Craig McRae.
It was an inspired choice form Lipinski who is now eyeing a key role in a team eyeing back-to-back premierships as part of a campaign which kicks off against GWS Giants on Saturday night in Sydney.
Lipinski played 25 games in his first season at Collingwood in 2022, averaging 22 touches, 3.2 clearances and 5.7 score involvements according to Champion Data.
His output dropped to an average 18 touches a game in the premiership campaign but that was off a serious shoulder injury which wiped him out for the first half of last season.
It was a disappointing development for Lipinski who was forced to undergo his second bout of shoulder injury within a six-month period, but he confident his issues are behind him.
I like to think given I was wearing his #1 jumper, it was the reason he had a good gameYou can all thank me for Lipinski playing well. I bagged him in the first quarter. After that my friends let me know and asked if I could have a go at Jordy.
