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...
Forwards
Collingwood tall forward stocks underwent further change over the off-season, with five-time club leading goalkicker Brody Mihocek heading to Melbourne as Jack Buller arrived from Sydney.
Buller should slot into a role alongside Tim Membrey and Dan McStay, with the latter a leading chance to win back a spot in McRae's side after Mason Cox's delisting.
Young forward Charlie West will again place pressure on his senior teammates, having broken through for a debut after some strong form at VFL level in his debut season, only for injury to bring his campaign to an early close.
Mid-Season Draft selection Noah Howes will be in a similar position, having shown some good signs in his short stint so far
Jamie Elliott is coming off a career-best season and will look to enjoy another injury-free year, while Beau McCreery might still have another level to reach as a highly combative small forward.
The Pies' premiership prospects will also be bolstered if Bobby Hill is back firing and available after an interrupted 2025 campaign, while Lachie Schultz is another looking to refine his role.
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.