Questions over Collingwood's list have continued since the club's preliminary final defeat, with concerns surrounding the club's emerging talent having been constant.
The Magpies will carry the oldest list into the league once again, but the gap to the next most experienced side has significantly shortened after a host of veterans left Olympic Park.
Some minor tweaks via the trade and draft periods have strengthened some clear list needs, but the club couldn't secure the experienced quality midfielder it was chasing.
With the Magpies looking to uncover their next wave of talent while still relying on their most senior figures, we take a look at what Collingwood's best 23 for 2026 might look like...
Midfielders
A key area that will help propel the Magpies in 2026 is how Craig McRae supports Nick Daicos in midfield.
The Collingwood star's ability to turn a game is undeniable, but those around him have often been limited, be that through form, fitness or role.
The Magpies attempted to add to their engine room options over the off-season but fell short in their pursuits, leaving them with the same personnel as last year.
Ned Long emerged as a big-bodied inside midfielder who aided Daicos' ability in the middle, but his type of role might not suit where the current game is heading.
That trend is likely to see the quicker and more explosive midfielders come to the fore, with Jack Crisp and Jordan De Goey both still solid options who can roll through the middle while splitting their time in other thirds of the field.
The same can be said for Dan Houston, Josh Daicos, Patrick Lipinski and Harry Perryman, while Scott Pendlebury is also a chance of flirting with a role at half-back.
The pre-season so far has seen Isaac Quaynor training with the midfielders, with a move up the field potentially on the cards.
Steele Sidebottom might return to a pure wing role to allow the likes of Ed Allan and Lachie Sullivan more minutes on the inside, while Roan Steele has shown promise as an outside runner and could slot onto the opposing wing.
One Magpie to keep an eye on is mature-aged draftee Angus Anderson, who joins Collingwood after a stellar season with Sturt in the SANFL as a versatile midfield talent.
The ruck situation is fairly clear, with reigning best and fairest winner Darcy Cameron continuing his reign as the No.1 tall, however the Magpies will be buoyed by the recent development of Oscar Steene and Iliro Smit as reinforcements.
This cannot be Collingwood’s best 23. A like-for-like replacement of Buller for Mihocek in a team that didn’t make the GF will not do it. The Pies need new blood in the team with the likes of DeMattia, Jiath and Anderson for starters.
Ned Long won’t miss best 23.
As a Pie supporter, if he does miss, another mid will be included, not Reef. Reef will only come in for a defender, he’s not that good in other positions. Fly likes players who can play other positions really well. Although Reef has played as a forward, he wouldn’t go there unless we run out of forwards due to injury. He is a mid but I think speed has taken over as far as he is concerned atm, maybe one day.
Anderson will come in when Pendles rests. Swadling or Prindable will come in when another aging player is rested.
Swadling looks like a gun and is very very good so he may even play before the others.
I reckon DeGoey will sit mostly in the forward half due to not taking a risk of him being injured.
Howe may be rested throughout the year, giving some other defenders a go.
I think Josh D will move into the middle and wing, Houston will be in the backline, Sidey won’t be wing, to slow now, he’ll be forward half and in the middle at times.
West will come in when we rest someone in the forward half.
The rest depends on how they go in the 2’s and injuries.