- Collingwood has retained four of its veteran AFL stars
- Scott Pendlebury believes experience is vital for the Magpies
- He missed the top eight in 2024 after winning the flag last year
Collingwood firmly believes the AFL championship window remains open after recommitting to its four out-of-contract veterans for 2025.
Scott Pendlebury is set to play a remarkable 20th season and will be joined by Steele Sidebottom, Jeremy Howe and Will Hoskin-Elliott after the quartet signed one-year deals on Thursday.
This means that all nine of the Magpies’ squad’s over-30s will be playing next season and could lead to an exodus of players at the end of the campaign.
Coach Craig McRae has warned that his older players are likely to remain with the team with just a few weeks left in the season.
“I don’t think we should be too quick to remove experience from our roster because I think those things are really beneficial to our young group,” McRae said earlier this month.
‘I haven’t been able to (discuss the desire to play in the VFL), but form dictates a lot of things.
‘You get currency from past experiences and you get a certain amount of grace, but if there comes a time when someone performs really well (in the VFL), you want to perform in your role.
“That’s not just experience, it’s an integral part of every week when you go to the national team… we want to continue evolving and continue growing.”
Scott Pendlebury will play a remarkable 20th AFL season for Collingwood in 2025
Fellow veteran Steele Sidebottom has also extended his time at the Magpies by a season.
Coach Craig McRae not worried about aging squad, experience is key
Collingwood list boss Justin Leppitsch said the quartet would provide “invaluable” experience and help guide the Magpies’ “next generation”.
“We are delighted that Scott, Steele, Jeremy and Will have signed for another season in the black and white jersey,” said Leppitsch.
‘All four are highly valued and play critical roles to our program both on and off the field.
‘Their leadership and experience are invaluable to our environment and each of them plays a key role in educating and guiding our next generation of talented young people.
“We are sure that the Magpie Army is looking forward to seeing them in action in 2025.”
Premier League midfielder Tom Mitchell, who has made just six senior appearances this year due to injury and illness, is also out of contract at the end of 2025 along with Jamie Elliott, Mason Cox and Brody Mihocek.
The durable Jack Crisp, 30, has a one-year contract until the end of 2026.
Magpies fans will be demanding a better season in 2025 – after winning the flag last year, they missed out on September of this campaign.
