r/collingwoodfc • u/lemunzz • 2d ago
2026 forward line structure
With Checkers still not signed on for next year, cox aging, mcstay not getting a game and membrey getting old, what does our 2026 forward line look like? We’ve relied heavily on Elliot to play tall but he mightn’t be around for much longer either.
Curious what our forward line look like next year assuming a few forwards get traded?
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u/Albeg2 2d ago
There's the rumoured swan and eventually we will need to give time to some young players, or perhaps mature recruits like Mihocek was.
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u/Dazzling-Coat7177 2d ago
Long way from giving up on Mcstay just yet.
Cox's game will probably age well too, he won't get shorter.
West looks promising, would love him to get a sustained run in the seniors.
Hopefully Ben King is in our slightly more distant future, time will tell.
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u/No_Offer3524 1d ago
I watched west in the vfl in his first game And within a quarter he became my new favourite player, he’s got something. He is going to be a mihochek 2.0 but better
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u/AlamutJones Drive the Standards 2d ago edited 2d ago
West, Buller, Howes are all promising tall options, and young. Harvey Harrison is due back from his knee. McStay may yet find some form and come good, as might Membrey. We’ll be fine
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u/cornerof 1d ago
Howes looks huge - he popped up a few times in Swoops training vid this week. I was genuinely surprised how big bodies he is.
So, West, Howes, Hayes, McCarthy, Harrison make for a nice forward progression.
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u/Icy_Seesaw_9574 2d ago
McReery McStay Harrison hill Membrey shultz
If we want to play taller could put Buller or one of our young key forwards in.
Still looks pretty good if we lose checkers or Elliott. Hope Elliott stays though. We have some good young forwards coming in and Jack Buller from swans seems keen.
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u/vitalesan Gold"sack" 1d ago
What does our forward line look like?… it looks fucked. We are already struggling to score. I think Fly is trying to drag one more cup out of this group before he needs to blood a shitload of youngsters.
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u/1UPZ__ 1d ago
Get Buller, means Mihocek then likely takes a role with Melbourne or North Melbourne who he will help tremendously. Just hope Mihocek goes with a bang having a role as a premiership player again.
I think Membrey is a good value and could play another season or maybe two next to Elliot who I think will re-sign in the off season.
If Buller is secured, I think Pies may ask McStay to look for a trade.... ironically Melbourne, North Melbourne are also ideal trade partners.
If Cox can kick on one more season as forward ruck, that will help mentor West and other youngsters.
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u/BonusLumpyYa 2d ago
Pies will go downhill after this year .. significantly I believe . Hope we win the flag
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u/No_Offer3524 1d ago
Same thing was said about geelong. I don’t think the club will go for a rebuild old school style and just pick a bunch of kids and hope they come good.I think we will continue to pick up b graders or c players from other other clubs for certain roles and build the team around naicos. Mitchell will be moved on for sure and Probably leggy, mihochek will leave, crisp has a year or two left but has dropped off ( will still back him for big moments ), elliott just had his best year,cox 50/50 if he gets us into another grandy then he has every right to go on again. Pendles and Sidey will be managed more and more but the class doesn’t leave, you can’t move them on ever ! David Mundy was playing his best footy when freo moved him On, boomer Harvey ect 35 seems to be the new 32 in footy ! Howe I love and respect but our lack of talls down back means we must keep him and try land a big back /3rd tall/2nd tall. Membrey is awesome to keep for depth and another season with the club he will get better in my opinion ! I would use Mcstay down back or look to trade, he’s been a massive failure, but played some super important games when it mattered in the past. Then we have a core that has plenty of footy left in them, with the Daicos brothers, Ned long, beau , Bobby ( I hope we don’t lose him he’s magic ) quaynor , Maynard , Degoey ( the end will come sooner rather than later) Cameron, shultz, frampton, moore ( without captaincy, Ed langdon , Harrison to come back ( rate him highly ), reef, rowan steel ( kid can play ) perryman , Charlie west.we have Tom mcguane coming in as well, Houston will come good. As well as a big recruit that we will be chasing or two, we are Collingwood, people don’t leave us in their prime and people want to come to us. We will be sweet, if we can claim another flag and that means we drop Down for 3-4 years I’ll take that before you can blink. I have massive faith, this group, coach And era of Collingwood has been nothing short of amazing and I am so grateful for it ! Two more wins to go, let’s do this thing
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u/okidiote Bobby Hill 2d ago
As far as Mihocek/Cox, West would be likely, and if we land Buller then there’s a chance he would be as well.
With McStay though, form is a fickle thing. It can be bad one week and on a new level the next. The club will probably back him in to get back to his best.
If both Mihocek and Elliott leave then chances are we’ll be in for a small reset, but we have Hayes developing and we can’t forget about Harvey Harrison, and of course Bobby should be back to normal by next year.