Squad Breakdown: Collingwood Magpies 2023 SC analysis

What a ride it was last year for the Magpies, rising from 17^th in 2021 to the top 4 last season and missing out on a grand final appearance by one solitary point. It was the equal best season-on-season jump in VFL/AFL history. As a fan it was a heartbreaking loss to the Swans, and the Cats before that, but the future seems bright under Fly (Coach Craig McRae). 

So will the momentum continue, or was 2021 a flash in the pan? Considering the Pies won nine of their matches by a single figure margin, there’s every chance it was. However, I’m banking on natural improvement from a relatively young group plus a lovely injection of confidence to know they can win from almost any position when they get the game on their terms.

There were obviously plenty of positives last season: Pendles’ switch to half back, the emergence of Josh Daicos on the wing, the way they covered Grundy’s injury with Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox, Nick Daicos already establishing himself as a star of the competition in his first season (plus polled 11 Brownlow votes), and Brayden Maynard was chosen as an all-Australian.

Time will tell if they have recruited well, but there’s no doubting they’ve added extra depth to their playing list from last season in case injury strikes. Trading Grundy may hurt – and this scares me – but I’m happy with that move because it allowed this extra depth to happen.

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Team

FB: Brayden Maynard, Billy Frampton, Jeremy Howe
HB: Nick Daicos, Darcy Moore, Scott Pendlebury
C: Pat Lipinski, Jordan De Goey, Josh Daicos
HF: Steele Sidebottom, Dan McStay, Beau McCreery 
FF: Jamie Elliott, Brody Mihocek, Jack Ginnivan
FOL: Darcy Cameron, Tom Mitchell, Jack Crisp
INT: Mason Cox, Taylor Adams, Nathan Murphy, Isaac Quaynor, John Noble (sub).

EMG: Bobby Hill, Nathan Kreuger, Will Hoskin-Elliott, Ash Johnson, Charlie Dean, Josh Carmichael.

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List Changes

IN

Ed Allan (No.19 draft pick), Billy Frampton (trade, Adelaide), Bobby Hill (trade, Greater Western Sydney), Dan McStay (free agent, Brisbane), Tom Mitchell (trade, Hawthorn), Joe Richards (No.48 draft pick), Jakob Ryan (No.28 draft pick), Oscar Steene (SSP).

OUT

Callum Brown (delisted), Tyler Brown (delisted), Isaac Chugg (delisted), Brodie Grundy (trade, Melbourne), Ollie Henry (trade, Geelong), Jack Madgen (delisted), Liam McMahon (delisted), Caleb Poulter (delisted), Jordan Roughead (retired).

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Lock & Load

Nick Daicos – DEF – $502,500

How can you not love this kid.  So talented but also works his backside off in training to make sure that talent is not wasted. Been winning the 2km time trials and with his second full AFL pre-season under his belt will only get better. Rumoured to be part of the midfield rotations this season which can be seen as a positive and a negative given his frame, so I understand why so many people are on the fence with the pick. I obviously see it as a positive with Titch feeding him the hard ball to hit up targets in the forward 50 as another lucrative avenue for points, plus we know he can hit the scoreboard himself. The obvious concern is opposition attention like he got in the finals, however that’s a risk with all the top end defender options as forward tags are in vogue. Hopefully his large ceiling will compensate for a couple of poor scores throughout the season.

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Mid-Pricer

Darcy Cameron – RUCK/FWD – $465,900

Okay I’m cheating a little here but there really isn’t a valid option at the Pies this year. Unless you want me to convince you to buy Dan McStay? Didn’t think so…

Cameron is a very popular R2 at the moment until the ruck line gives us a bit of clear direction. I don’t know about you but I’m struggling to avoid Rowan Marshall. Cameron averaged close to 100 when he took over the number one role last season, and that included sharing the role later in the year with Cox when he ran out of steam a little. I’m happy to take a 100 average for a forward. 

A pre-season training as the main ruck which he didn’t have last year should make him better this time around, albeit with a late start and little hamstring niggle. Those are genuine concerns, as is the ruck split with Mason Cox, so watch him closely in the practice matches before you commit.

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Cheapie

Charlie Dean – DEF – $123,900

It seems a two-horse race for the vacant full back spot left vacant by Jordan Roughead’s retirement, and if Dean wins and is selected round 1 you simply have to pick him for your bench.  You may have noticed in the above predicted team I fancy Frampton in this race due to his experience but I’m watching this space closely. I wouldn’t expect much, but he should get us a $150k profit on our investment.

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Avoid

Jack Crisp – MID – $520,300

He was a very frustrating player to own last season as a defender moved to the midfield, as expectations were high coming off a 2021 105 average. Unfortunately, Collingwood’s fast and “get it forward” at all costs game plan doesn’t suit high supercoach scoring for our midfield players.  Probably the main reason I’m avoiding Titch too. This obviously won’t change with the success we had last season so Crisp is a clear avoid for me. Plus, you can only pick him as a MID this year and you need much more than a 94.5 average for that to be a successful pick in that part of the ground.