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Important update on 1476AMCollingwood v Richmond: Which club is closer to a flag?
Jaiden Sciberras • April 15th, 2026 6:05 pm
Which Victorian giant is closer to a flag – Collingwood or Richmond?
The Magpies were an absolute force across 2025, topping the table for 13 of 25 weeks before slipping into fourth spot late in the season. Despite beating the Crows, a prelim defeat to the Lions sent the Pies packing.
Now, with an ageing list and very few talented youngsters outside of Nick Daicos, Collingwood is facing the threat of an almighty slide - which many are predicting.
Richmond found themselves at the opposite end, cemented within the bottom four for 22 of 25 weeks last year. With a clear path to rebuild from the ground up, the Tigers remain within the bottom end of the ladder, winless to start the 2026 season.
With one side’s future up in the air, and another suffering in the short term with all eyes on what is ahead, which side is destined to find success first?
Tom Morris and Kane Cornes debated the topic on SEN Locked In.
Morris: “I think because they (Collingwood) can attract players, because they are a big club and they have money to spend, they will never be a long way back.”
Cornes: “Would you not say the same about West Coast? If you had have said that in 2018 about West Coast… they are a big club, they’re rich…”
Morris: “They don’t attract the same sort of players though, because they are in Perth. Collingwood is in – regardless of what you think about the AFL, VFL, the size of Australia – Collingwood is in the epicentre of the football bubble. It’s a huge advantage.”
Cornes: “Yep, that is definitely an advantage. It’s a big advantage. So, who would be behind them? Would you say Essendon are behind them?”
Morris: “Yeah, I think so.”
Cornes: “But they’ve already been to the draft! Where’s the Nate Caddy at Collingwood?”
Morris: “They can buy one. Go and get Ben King or Jed Walter. Mitch Georgiades, or Todd Marshall in a couple of years. Go and get one of those guys.”
Cornes: “You know there’s a salary cap.”
Morris: “I’m acutely aware, but who else are they paying aside from Nick Daicos?”
Cornes: “Do you think one player is going to be the difference for them?”
Morris: “I think it makes a big difference.”
Cornes: “It’ll help, but it’s not going to put them into prelim final calculations next year.”
Morris: “I just think Collingwood will never be down the bottom for a long time again, because they are just too big and powerful and they attract players.”
Cornes: “Richmond – would you have thought the same about them when they won three premierships? That they’d never go down the bottom? They can attract players; they are in the epicentre of Melbourne.”
Morris: “I think once Richmond lost their coach, and those players wanted to go…”
Cornes: “That defeats your argument. Collingwood are slightly ahead in terms of an attractive place to play, but Richmond is right there with them.”
Morris: “But are you concerned about Richmond? I’m not really concerned about Richmond.”
Cornes: “They’ve started their rebuild, at least they know where they are at. They’ve got a plan, it’s going to be bumpy and ugly for a bit but eventually these players are going to come through, and if they've drafted well and you rate their recruiting department, it’s going to look pretty good.”
Morris: “So do you think Richmond is closer to a flag than Collingwood?”
Cornes: “Yes, absolutely closer to a flag than Collingwood!”
