Our veteran quandary

[BazBoy]

Discussed ad hoc by supporter and media alike are our aging list and how we stagger their exit
Geelong tho avoid that subject

Well what I saw yesterday as the game reached it final quarter Dangerfield looked every bit of 60 and he was not alone in that

[Pies4shaw]

Crisp, Sidebottom and Pendlebury just came 4th through 6th in the Copeland. It's sad to think that they're slipping down the ranks like that - they've probably only got a few hundred more games in them.

At this rate, Jax could be the first father/son selection to play in the same side as his father.

[Johnno75]

Especially Sidey our newest run with player.

[Quincy]

The worry is that Sidebottom and Pendlebury did not have great seasons by their lofty standards yet are still so high in the count. What does this say about the talent we are nurturing?

[Pies4shaw]

Sidebottom finished 5th in the Copeland. Pendlebury finished 6th.

Personally, I think Collingwood should retire two of its top 6 players every year - because that's a winning plan.

[Cam]

I think the bigger dropoffs might be our beloved Howie and Jamie... And come 2026 it is feasible that most of Sidebottom [33]+2, Pendlebury [36]+2, Howe [34]+2, Elliott [32]+2, Cox [33]+2 will be gone - leaving our current 31[+2] year olds Hosk, Crispy, Mitch and Checkers.

[Presti35]

Remember when Bucks, Clement and Licca retired in 07, and Burns and Wakelin in 08? We won a flag in 2010. We're going to be ok, the club will continue. Believe it or not, we have some good players at the club who are under 30.

[Pies4shaw]

^ Vic Cumberland played until he was 43 years and 48 days old, albeit that was for the hapless St Kilda and in 1920.

In the modern era, Dustin Fletcher played until he was 40 years and 28 days. He finished in 2015.

Pendles will have 3 years on Fletcher at the start of next season.

[i hate carlton]

I was at Bucks last match, and it seems like yesterday.

Remember when Bucks, Clement and Licca retired in 07, and Burns and Wakelin in 08? We won a flag in 2010. We're going to be ok, the club will continue. Believe it or not, we have some good players at the club who are under 30.

[Presti35]

^ A devastating night. And we didnt know for sure it was his final game, but many were speculating. And what was tough was then seeing Geelong run an absolute riot over Port in the GF. It could have easily been us.

[Presti35]

Filling the void left when older players give it away;

Howe (34). The free agency option is Brandon Starcevich. This could be a bit of a stretch, but I'm sure the club will reach out to his manager at some point. As others have mentioned, TJ could be groomed into this position.

Sidebottom (33). The free agency option is Ed Richards. His passion for Collingwood and his family connection would make this an easy sell. Ed Allan has also been mentioned as someone that could come into the team for Sidey when the time arrives.

Mason Cox (33). The free agency option in Tom De Koning and Sam Draper. I'm not sure how in demand either would be, but if we're just talking about like-for-like and just about a very tall player than can ruck and play forward, then those two are an answer. Of players on the list, we have Smit and Steene coming through.
EDIT: Condon coming via Cat-B rookie listing has been touted by many as a replacement for Cox.

Brody Mihocek (31). The free agency option is Darcy Fogarty and Oscar Allan. This will be a massive area of concern as we dont really have a young key forward on the list thats ready to come in.

Jamie Elliott (32) There isn't a big name free agent at his position. Obviously we have Hill and Schultz and some have suggested Parker could have his eye on this spot going forward.

Tom Mitchell (31) and Jack Crisp (31). The free agency option is Luke Davies-Uniacke, he'll get some massive offers put in front of him. Bontempelli is also a free agent, however will be 29 at seasons end. Still he would be a more than welcomed addition in 2026.

Will Hoskin-Elliott (31) We just picked him up. His name is Harry Perryman.

Pendlebury (36) Keeps playing until he's 46. #tenmoreyears

[Gerry Cooper]

I don't think the Copeland finishes for our senior players were that representative of their performances of 2024 with probably at least some of their voting being done on sentiment alone. Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Crisp, and Howe all had difficulty last year running games out at peak or near peak performance and this played a part in quite a few of our fade outs in 2024. It will again in 2025. We should have started phasing them out after the 2023 season ended, though I understand that would have been difficult, the fact that they all remain as active players on the list for 2025 is a big problem. I would be looking for most of them to be spending up to 50% of their game time in the reserves, and rather than the young up and comers being treated as the depth, it should be our fading seniors who are the depth players or playing the sub role instead.

[Presti35]

Also, after an interesting conversation with a Blues supporter...

...Newman is 31, Docherty is 31, Williams is 30, Saad is 30, Cripps is 30 in March, McGovern is 30, Orazio Fantasia is 29, Blake Acres is 29, George Hewett is 29. Even Marc Pittonet and Charlie Curnow are 28.

I feel like the media pressure will be put on these guys if they dont go deep into September next year. They arent exactly spring chickens themselves.

[SLORT]

Filling the void left when older players give it away;

Sidebottom (33). The free agency option is Ed Richards. His passion for Collingwood and his family connection would make this an easy sell. Ed Allan has also been mentioned as someone that could come into the team for Sidey when the time arrives.

Brody Mihocek (31). The free agency option is Darcy Fogarty and Oscar Allan. This will be a massive area of concern as we dont really have a young key forward on the list thats ready to come in.

Thing to note about Ed Richards ~ 188cm and 89kg. After he was moved to the midfield he averaged 5.2 clearances. To put that into perspective, in 2023 Mitchell averaged 4.8 clearances. I think Ed will be even better next year. He's the one I'd go for, as I doubt Bont would move.

LDU would be a good get, maybe if they have another shitty done and dusted less than 6 wins kinda season then I could see him being very gettable, especially if we have a strong year. Grew up in Rye...maybe Geebung do it again, on "lifestyle". Was a Hawthorn supporter growing up though...

As for Fogs and Ossy, doubt you'd pull them from their home states. Especially Oscar seeing as how he's also their Captain.

[Pies4shaw]

Pendlebury (36) Keeps playing until he's 46. #tenmoreyears

I wish you wouldn't just write him off like that. Who's to say he can't play 'til 60?

I don't think the Copeland finishes for our senior players were that representative of their performances of 2024 with probably at least some of their voting being done on sentiment alone. Pendlebury, Sidebottom, Crisp, and Howe all had difficulty last year running games out at peak or near peak performance and this played a part in quite a few of our fade outs in 2024. It will again in 2025. We should have started phasing them out after the 2023 season ended, though I understand that would have been difficult, the fact that they all remain as active players on the list for 2025 is a big problem. I would be looking for most of them to be spending up to 50% of their game time in the reserves, and rather than the young up and comers being treated as the depth, it should be our fading seniors who are the depth players or playing the sub role instead.

Let's hope that 3 of the young players suddenly become A+ graders - we all want to see Sidebottom and Pendlebury moved into lesser roles because there are dominant kids demanding gametime but that just hasn't been the case. Allan looked like he would be early on in the VFL but he fell away. He played a good game in the AFL in the last round of 2024 but we need to see whether that will be sustained in games played under ordinary AFL pressure. Macrae is never going to be an AFL player of importance, so let's hope that a couple of the untried players suddenly come on and warrant inclusion. In that context, it's worth observing that the guys we want these young players to replace dominated games at an early age. Eg, Sidebottom was a huge part of winning a semi-final against Adelaide in his 10th match before his 19th birthday and Pendlebury was a huge part of winning a semi-final against West Coast before his 20th birthday.

As for their finishes in the Copeland, there aren't too many who had better seasons. For example, Cameron aside, the Copeland top 6 was also the Collingwood top 6 by total disposals for the season. And I don't think they're struggling to run out games. Pendlebury and Sidebottom have always been as slow as coaches - it's the absence of quality players around them that creates the appearance that they struggle to keep up. Over the years, that basic lack of leg speed has occasionally led to people on Nick's asserting that Pendles and Sidey don't work hard enough the other way. We have a thin midfield. It wasn't helped by the absence of Mitchell and De Goey but there's room for plenty more good players in the midfield, if we have them.

We definitely do need these players to be replaced - they are as old as the hills - but we need them replaced by players who can do more, have more game impact and run harder. There still aren't too many of those about.