Collingwood season 2025 preview: Josh Barnes breaks down where the Pies sit

Collingwood’s 2024 season showed just how tough it is to stay at the top. To get back there, the Pies must find some solutions down back. JOSH BARNES previews their season.

Where do the Pies sit?

A 9th placed finish last year from the 2023 premiers surprised many but reiterated how tough it is to stay at the top. After another fruitful trade period and a determination to reset without fully rebuilding, can the Pies bounce back while veterans Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom are still in the side? Josh Barnes looks at the big issues for Collingwood in 2025.

SURPRISE PACKET OF 2024

Darcy Cameron was already a premiership player before the 2024 season but he vaulted from an OK ruck to a top-liner, landing in the All-Australian squad for the first time. Any questions lingering about the Magpies jettisoning Brodie Grundy’s salary all those years ago have been certainly answered now that Cameron’s steady ruck work and marking have settled in.

INS AND OUTS

IN: Joel Cochran (No. 47 draft pick), Will Hayes (No. 56 draft pick), Dan Houston (trade, Port Adelaide), Tim Membrey (delisted free agent), Harry Perryman (free agent, Greater Western Sydney), Charlie West (No. 50 draft pick)

OUT: Aiden Begg (delisted), Jack Bytel (delisted), Josh Carmichael (retired), Josh Eyre (delisted), Nathan Kreuger (delisted), Nathan Murphy (retired), John Noble (trade, Gold Coast), Joe Richards (trade, Port Adelaide)

WHO’S PLAYING FOR A CONTRACT?

A trade story that came from nowhere was North Melbourne’s interest in Brayden Maynard. The tough backman is beloved by Pies fans and didn’t pursue the trade, but it put a target on his back. The premiership Pie comes out of contract at the end of 2025 and as a leader of the group, could be due a raise. A big group of veterans also come off deals, all of which could be coming to the end of strong careers. How many of Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, Jaime Elliott, Tom Mitchell, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Jeremy Howe, Brody Mihocek and Mason Cox will still be around in 2026? If most of that group plays well enough to earn new deals, the ageing Magpies will be back in September. Unfounded rumours had Bobby Hill looking to move to WA in the off-season but contract talks are expected to get moving on a deal beyond 2026.

LAST YEAR IN CONTRACT

Brayden Maynard, Jamie Elliott, Tom Mitchell, Scott Pendlebury, Billy Frampton, Fin Macrae, Tew Jiath, Iliro Smit, Oscar Steene, Steele Sidebottom, Reef McInnes, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Lachie Sullivan, Harvey Harrison, Oleg Markov, Jeremy Howe, Ash Johnson, Brody Mihocek, Charlie Dean, Ned Long, Wil Parker, Mason Cox.

POSITION THAT NEEDS TO BE FILLED AND WHO CAN FILL IT?

Collingwood never really filled the tall defensive post left empty by Nathan Murphy’s pre-season retirement. Billy Frampton and Charlie Dean got the best chance to pair with Darcy Moore but neither could match Murphy’s chemistry with the skipper. And the Pies didn’t go out recruiting for a new tall back either, instead bringing in runners Dan Houston and Harry Perryman, as well as tall forward Tim Membrey. The Moore-Murphy pairing was a huge part of the 2023 premiership success and either the personnel or the system needs to adapt.

BURNING QUESTION

Will the young or the old step up? Plenty of the older Magpies were injured last season and their output dropped from the year before. The problem for the Pies was the youngsters not filling those gaps. Outside of Nick Daicos, few players in a younger age bracket had a good year. So either the older players need to be back to their best, or the youngsters need to step up big time. Maybe the Magpies need both to happen to contend again.

Originally published as Collingwood season 2025 preview: Josh Barnes breaks down where the Pies sit