Daniel McStay’s crucial role in bold Collingwood flag tilt examined

Collingwood is all in on a premiership in 2025 after landing Dan Houston, Tim Membrey and Harry Perryman. But as ED BOURKE writes, there’s another Magpie who looms as Craig McRae’s wildcard.

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Bringing Dan Houston, Harry Perryman and Tim Membrey on board will only work for Collingwood if its senior players can get back up off the canvas for another bout.

Even from a Wednesday night practice match against the presumptive wooden spooners, the signs point to a collective revival from the hungover premiers who stumbled through 2024.

The shiny new toys all slotted themselves seamlessly into Craig McRae’s system, but the striking feature of the Pies’ play was their fast and precise ball movement between the arcs.

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Nick Daicos went to town on a one-paced Richmond midfield, but he was joined by repurposed wing duo Patrick Lipinski and Jack Crisp.

His brother, Josh, looked comfortable at halfback and used the ball well, but a resurgent Isaac Quaynor and Oleg Markov were providing just as much bounce out of defence.

Collingwood premiership defender Isaac Quaynor looked back to his best against Richmond in the Charity Shield match on Wednesday night. Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

Last year hype buzzed about Collingwood for younger players being spruiked as an exciting new addition to the midfield mix.

Nine days before the Pies meet GWS this time around, the pecking order is clear, and it’s stacked in favour of the veterans.

Steele Sidebottom (22 disposals) started at the first centre bounce with Daicos and Perryman.

Scott Pendlebury (17 at 94 per cent efficiency) was the only other regular rotation in the first half.

McRae appears happy to show his hand ahead of the season, but what it does give to fringe on-ballers Ed Allan and Ned Long is a clarity on how hard they need to beat the door down to win a spot in this side.

With Jordan De Goey likely to miss opening round, Steele Sidebottom is poised to begin the season as a centre-bounce midfielder for the Magpies. Picture: Michael Klein

Assistant coach Jordan Roughead said the Pies were in “full dress rehearsal” mode.

Missing only Brayden Maynard (foot) and Jordan De Goey (knee) from their best mix, the Pies used just 22 players until midway through the third term, when Ed Allan replaced Nick Daicos.

Long and Billy Frampton were made to stay in their trackies, but Wil Parker racked up eight disposals when he came on at halfback in the final term.

Collingwood’s positional depth is arguably better than when it won the flag.

The Magpies are certainly better stocked in the key forward-ruck roles, after Membrey assuaged any fears he was a spent force in the pre-season games.

Their ace in the pack could be Daniel McStay, who was almost forgotten through 2024 and only a shadow of himself when he made an early return from an ACL injury late in the season.

Daniel McStay (centre) booted two goals and was impressive as the second ruckman as he combined with Tim Membrey (four goals) and Brody Mihocek (right, three goals). Picture: Dylan Burns / Getty Images

Collingwood is yet to see the best of McStay, but if he stays fit, that is what he will deliver this season.

The 196cm former Lion is still only 29 and entering his prime, and appears to have added an important string to his bow with his ruckwork.

“Particularly when Coxy broke his finger a week ago it’s pretty important. You wouldn’t want to wish an ACL injury on anyone, but (McStay) was able to get to work and get really fit and really strong, and add a string to his bow with his ruckwork,” Roughead said.

“His follow-up work inside is phenomenal, and it’s nice for him at times to be able to get off the leash a little bit and move around the ground a bit more than you do as a key forward.”

Having McStay relieve Darcy Cameron at centre bounces would allow the Pies to regularly play him and Brody Mihocek together with Membrey, leaving Mason Cox as a luxury back-up ruckman to call upon to ease the burden on Cameron through the season.

Cox was all but ruled out of the season opener anyway due to a broken finger, but could be consigned to the reserves for a period after the chemistry on display from the Pies’ three talls in attack.

Brayden Maynard should replace the suspended Houston in the Pies’ back seven, while Markov (19 disposals and seven intercepts) made the most of getting the nod ahead of Parker and hold his spot.

The lingering concern for the Magpies remains their ability to defend tall forwards.

Jesse Hogan, Aaron Cadman and Jake Stringer loom as a baptism of fire for Reef McInnes, who was hardly tested against a raw and lightly-framed collection of Tigers forwards.

Captain Darcy Moore had some nice moments against the Tigers, but also some noticeably hairy ones – the Pies will be hoping he buries his yips from last year in the early rounds.