—Collingwood’s Premiership Push: Ageing List, New Recruits, and the 2025 Flag DreamBy Kate McCarthyCollingwood is banking on experience over youth as it chases AFL glory in 2025. With an ageing list and a recent recruitment move that has surprised many in the footy world, the club is doubling down on its premiership ambitions. The Magpies’ acquisition of former Port Adelaide star Dan Houston signals their intent to win now rather than build for the future.The decision has sparked debates across the AFL landscape—can an older list withstand the demands of a grueling season? Or is Collingwood’s mix of veteran leadership and strategic recruitment the key to success?Backing an Ageing List: The Pies’ GambleAt the heart of Collingwood’s strategy is its continued reliance on players who have been instrumental in the club’s recent success. While teams like North Melbourne and Hawthorn are focusing on youth development, the Magpies are choosing stability and experience.Collingwood’s 2024 campaign saw them fall just short of another premiership, with critics pointing to their ageing core as a potential weakness. Yet, rather than undergo a major rebuild, the club has doubled down on its veterans.Names like Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, and Jeremy Howe remain pivotal despite pushing past the traditional AFL peak years. Captain Darcy Moore is leading from the front, but the club’s willingness to retain and extend key veterans is a testament to its faith in experience.Head coach Craig McRae is confident in the team’s ability to compete at the highest level.> “Experience wins finals,” McRae said in a recent interview. “We’ve seen time and time again that the best teams are the ones who have been there before. We have a list that
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