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“Just not fair”: Magpies now have the biggest free kick in the AFL
SEN • May 13th, 2025 11:25 am
Kane Cornes has branded Collingwood’s remaining fixture as the biggest free kick of any team in the AFL.
With 14 games left in the home and away season, the second-placed Magpies only travel interstate two more times against Gold Coast and Adelaide, while nine of those matches come at the MCG.
Even if Cornes is concerned about the health of Collingwood’s ageing list going deep into the season, he does think that Craig McRae’s side can maximise the advantage they have as they rarely leave home for the rest of the season and play most of their games where big finals will be held.
“I've still got my concerns about the health of the squad as those players get a little bit tired and some injuries pile up with those who've been injured before,” Cornes said on SEN Sportsday.
“But I will say that they've got the biggest free kick of any team, and that is their fixture.
“They should be looking to maximise that advantage that they get this year and every year. It's just not fair in an even competition.”
Cornes’ co-host Gerard Healy also agreed that the competition is inherently uneven, but he also pumped the brakes on Collingwood being runaway flag favourites after Sydney dominated the 2024 home and away season before falling short on the last Saturday of September.
“Well, we know it's an unequal competition and sometimes we've just got to live with it,” Healy said.
“There's no point exacerbating the unevenness in the AFL … but, I still think I can remember vividly this time last year, and it went for about 15 weeks that the Swans were going to win the flag, and they were unbeatable.
“You don't want to be as good to the best side in it for month, after month, after month, because everybody gets an opportunity to work you out.”
While Collingwood’s fixture opens up for them, the nine teams the Magpies have played so far all finished 11th or higher in the 2024 season.
They next host Adelaide at the MCG on Saturday afternoon.
