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“Been underwhelming”: Cornes and King question Collingwood recruit’s impact
SEN • May 9th, 2025 11:05 am
David King and Kane Cornes have been underwhelmed by Collingwood recruit Dan Houston in his first season in black and white.
The back-to-back All-Australian moved to the Magpies this off-season, with the club giving up a first and second round pick as well as John Noble and Joe Richards in a three-way trade with Port Adelaide and Gold Coast.
While Houston got off to a flyer with a best on ground performance in his first Collingwood game against his former club, King pondered whether the game style at his new club just doesn’t suit his strengths.
“On my agenda, I want to put Dan Houston on the microscope,” King said on SEN Breakfast.
“He's been underwhelming this year. I’m just not sure whether it's the way they're using him well or whether it's a different system he’s in.
“The kicking plan at Port Adelaide suited him, but the handball plan at Collingwood, not so much.
“They go at express off half back, and maybe the game leaves him really quickly, and it's sort of left him for dead a little bit, because I’d have to say, his first six or seven games have been really quiet.
“I don't know whether they need to look at the role or get him around the ball a bit more, because he just doesn't look to have the same spark and the same zest as what he had at Port Adelaide.”
Houston’s averages per game have dropped significantly in 2025, as he averages 18.7 disposals per outing compared to the 23.1 he picked up in each appearance last season for Port.
With that in mind, Cornes also believes the half-back hasn’t been near the player he was for Port Adelaide in previous seasons.
“I agree with that,” Cornes said.
“I thought he was going to be in for a huge one last night just because he had been so flat.
“He was good against Port Adelaide in his first game for them, but he’s nowhere near the player that he was last year, the back-to-back All-Australian.”
Houston will hope to find some more form when the 7-2 Magpies face the Crows at the MCG next Saturday.
