Collingwood missed ruckman Flynn Riley in the mid-season draft but traded for him when his interest held. Justin Leppitsch says Riley is body ready but sits behind Darcy Cameron: "it's more of a long-term play, but it wouldn't surprise me if Flynn has impact next year."
Angus Anderson could spend more time in Collingwood's midfield, list boss Justin Leppitsch said, naming Sam Swadling, Tyan Prindable and Edward Allan among the young mids coming through. With the game more positionally flexible, coaches plan to redeploy players too.
Jordan De Goey's name came up in trades because his manager wants a long-term deal, Collingwood's Justin Leppitsch said: "not one club came to us." Asked if the club can give that security in his contract year, he didn't commit, saying Tasmania's entry has changed a lot.
Jayden Short isn't coming, and Collingwood's Justin Leppitsch says Richmond weren't unreasonable; the Magpies were partly at fault. After missing Zac Butters, he says the club is "in a position to go again for that type of player" next year, and may re-rookie some players.
"We don't want empty stands." Collingwood will never bottom out, list boss Justin Leppitsch said: the aim is to "win consistently whilst... nabbing a flag along the journey." Draftees will develop mainly in the VFL for a year or two, with a sprinkling of AFL games.
"We get 3 of our 4 deals done, we've improved our list," Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch said after landing Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan without giving up high picks. Neale is the clearance fix: "we're AFL 17 in that space, so we wanted to fix that instantly."
At pick 11, Collingwood would target "a top-end inside mid" or a key-position player to develop by 2029-30, Justin Leppitsch said, though it isn't settled. The club kept its early picks, and he's "pretty confident we'll get not just one, but 2 or 3 really good players."
Jayden Short isn't coming to Collingwood. Justin Leppitsch said a future second-round pick was offered and more discussed, but list spots and the salary cap got tighter once Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan were locked in: "unfortunately we couldn't appease what Richmond wanted."
Flynn Riley on leaving Carlton for Collingwood: "I would have liked to stay at the Blues... it was just purely for that opportunity reason." Talks with Justin Leppitsch and Shane O'Bree meant "it just felt right to come to Collingwood in the end."
Talks with Lachie Neale began close to 12 months ago and with Jesse Hogan around mid-year, Collingwood's Justin Leppitsch said: "This club's got a good history of getting Brownlow medallist in their early 30s in... So we figured we'd do it again."
The Flynn Riley deal with Carlton is close: "Just a couple of little tinkering things and that's it," Collingwood's Justin Leppitsch said. He denied shopping Dan Houston, saying he never had "one conversation" about him and Houston will "absolutely" be there in 2027.
Jayden Short to Collingwood? "It's not off, no, but it's unlikely," Justin Leppitsch said. A list spot isn't the obstacle; satisfying Richmond is, and that got harder once Jesse Hogan committed to the Magpies. The sticking point is what Collingwood would have to give up.
Harry Demattia asked Collingwood for a new opportunity, but Justin Leppitsch said he's unlikely to find a club this trade period: "next thing to him is to work hard and find his spot back into the team." No club has shown interest in Jordan De Goey either: "not as yet."