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FIFA World Cup 2026 posterReset or rebuild? The tough decisions facing ‘ordinary’ Magpies
SEN • June 1st, 2026 12:00 pm
Collingwood has some tough decisions to make in the back half of 2026.
Sitting 5-1-6 after going down to the Western Bulldogs by less than a kick on Saturday night, the Magpies look headed for a Wildcard spot at best this campaign.
It’s the fourth time the Magpies have been within a kick of beating a finals contender in their last eight games without getting over the line, and that has left the club at a fork in the road.
With the flag seemingly out of reach this year, do the Magpies reset again and go for it with their ageing list in 2027, or do they hit the rebuild button?
SEN Fireball pair Kane Cornes and David King discussed where Collingwood sits with both expecting the black and white to go after the likes of Lachie Neale in free agency to try and remain competitive, while hitting the draft and trying to bring through their younger brigade.
Cornes: “Credit to them for being as competitive as they are with what they've got. That's my view on that.
“I think their list is very ordinary. So, shout out to the coaching and to the players for getting these results with what they've got.
“They play Melbourne this week on Monday, then some winnable games against Port Adelaide and Richmond.
“Where do you see them, and what did you think on Saturday night, Kingy?”
King: “Well, they've just got some tough decisions to make, haven't they? I mean, what is the goal right now?
“If the goal is not necessarily to stay competitive, but to set for another premiership, they're in all sorts.
“But in terms of staying competitive, they can roll on with the bulk of what they've got and have these sorts of performances that are, in the end, a 50/50 game in the balance. Does Nick (Daicos) get it done for you? They can have these performances for the next three years.
“But they don't have enough coming through in terms of the younger brigade. We've spoken about that for a while; that's nothing new. They probably know that. So what do they do?
“Do they go and get Lachie Neale and say, ‘Well, at least we give Nick a running mate. Then if we do hang on to (Scott) Pendlebury, we can move him outside of the square and maybe he can go to half back for 40 more games or 30 more games whilst we continue to develop the next wave’.”
Cornes: “You feel like that's what they're going to do, don't you? That's what I feel like they're going to do.
“There's not really anyone else that you're going to get for nothing, even players like Zac Bailey, Brisbane can match that deal. You're not going to get Zak Butters because you have to give up three first-round picks, which you don't have.
“The only thing you are going to get is those ageing players who are free agents or are going to cost you not much at all to keep you around the mark.
“Now, that's not what they need to do, and Craig Kelly has said they're going to go to the draft… but I just keep looking for the players that get opportunities that are under the age of 25, and there's nothing at all to be excited about.”
Collingwood’s next three games come against Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Richmond, all at the MCG.
