Training Pre-season updates 2024-2025.

[joefootylover]

Reckon the future looks very promising.

Maynard Moore Quaynor
J.Daicos McInnes Houston

Cameron Allan N.Daicos
Lipinski Perryman Hayes

McCreery McStay Harrison
Shultz West Hill

Steene
Long
Parker
Jiath
Macrae
McGuane
Smit
Ryan
Dean
Cochran

Would probably want a key defender in in the next couple of years, but apart from that the list looks really balanced to my mind.

Lots of promising youngsters.

For all the talk about our over 30's I actually think this is the best shape I can remember our 18 to 25's list in years.

And I really like our drafting and trading over the last 5 years to build this young list.

Cameron, Lipinski, McStay, Shultz, Hill, Houston, Perryman have all been shrewd pick ups for our side.

Quaynor, Macrae, McInnes, Allan, McCreery, Harrison, Jiath can all play AFL level footy IMO and are all good draft selections.

Parker, Long and Smit all look like shrewd pick ups too.

Father sons of the family club bring flags!

Moore, Nick, Josh, McGuane should be an advantage and it is and it will be

Plenty of cap to free up in the next 5 years as Pendles, Rusty, Howe, Checkers, Elliot, Hyphen et all hang up the boots.

Hope we are looking at generational athletic key forwards and backs in all markets.

Happy to back the rest of the development group for now.

GO PIES!

 

[Jelly Bean]

I watched him from behind the goals one week. He probably exceeded that goal average, but it was really clear why he didn't get more opportunities.

I'm sure we in the broader forum are all very pleased that it was really clear for you why he didn't get more opportunities - is there any chance you can share with the rest of us? And then we'd possibly even all be really clear as well...

Is it poor leading patterns / timing? Is it game plan where we like to run the ball in a shoot from 50? Is it that he does one effort and then blows up?

 

[Jen2310]

Collingwood youngster Reef McInnes has returned to pre-season training in "career-best form" with extra size as he looks to break into the Magpies' rearguard next year.


McInnes was trailed at both ends of the field in 2024 after falling in and out of the senior side, playing nine games at AFL level for a return of 13 goals.


The end of his season saw McInnes utilised in the backline for the Magpies' reserves, where he was able to use his athleticism and aerial prowess behind the ball.


Since returning to training for 2025, the Collingwood NGA graduate has linked up with Craig Mcrae's defensive cohort full-time, with the Magpies hopeful he can have a breakout season down back.


Less than a month into the new training regimen, McInnes has turned the heads of his teammates as "one of the best trainers" this summer.


Teammate Brayden Maynard said it's been exciting to see the forward-turned-backman show promise in a short time.


"It's good to see Reef get some consistency back," Maynard said at the launch of Nitro Circus' 2025 tour down under.

"He sort of got thrown around a bit this year, so for him to sort of cement his spot at training in the backline is great to see.


"He's training the house down and has come back in career-best form. I feel like he's put on some size. He's really fit.


"He's probably one of the best trainers at the moment, which is great."

"He's put on some size": The Collingwood youngster turning heads in new role

“He’s training the house down and has come back in career-best form.”

www.zerohanger.com

 

[sr36]

I'm sure we in the broader forum are all very pleased that it was really clear for you why we didn't get more opportunities - is there any chance you can share with the rest of us? And then we'd possibly even all be really clear as well...

Is it poor leading patterns / timing? Is it game plan where we like to run the ball in a shoot from 50? Is it that he does one effort and then blows up?

I'm taking this secret to the grave.

 

[Kirby]

I'm taking this secret to the grave.

along with that cat you've got trapped in that bag.

 

[Jane Doe]

Apologies for the intrusion just wanting to see how Harry Demattia is training? Played a lot of junior footy with my son was a gun but always thought he was a better cricketer.

 

[manicpie]

I'm taking this secret to the grave.

You might as well, you've already given away our game plan

 

[Jen2310]

Apologies for the intrusion just wanting to see how Harry Demattia is training? Played a lot of junior footy with my son was a gun but always thought he was a better cricketer.

Training well without standing out. Playing bit of wing and hb
Looking to see if he can elevate his game this coming year

 

[Big Bryza]

Apologies for the intrusion just wanting to see how Harry Demattia is training? Played a lot of junior footy with my son was a gun but always thought he was a better cricketer.

Looking likely to be AA HBF this season.

 

[Jen2310]

Of those ‘younger boys’ to help fill the midfield void, 28-year-old Maynard spoke glowingly of former first-round draft picks Fin Macrae and Ed Allan.


“Ed and Fin actually yesterday (during game-play) and in the whole pre-season leading up to Christmas, have been up there as two of our best trainers,” Maynard said.

“Because they played a lot of VFL with each other (this year) because it is a hard team to get into, but as we did see, they did crack into the team this year and played really good football.

“But because they’ve played a lot together as a duo in the midfield, they’re playing together as a duo (now) in the midfield at training, and they’re absolutely tearing training down.”


And while former GWS utility Harry Perryman could also spend time in defence next season, another name to keep a very close eye on is forward-turned-backman Reef McInnes, whose positional transition has opened eyes.

McInnes has managed just 20 senior games in four years at Collingwood, but he is set to inject life into a Pies backline in need of long-term depth.

Maynard said it was “tough” to choose just one 2025 breakout, but he ultimately couldn’t overlook the 194-centimetre utility.


“I want them all to get a crack, but I think, now, seeing Reef cemented in the backline and not being moved around in positions, he’s really training the house down,” he said.

“His physicality, his want to compete, his aerial (ability) — he has so many strengths. There’s not many weaknesses, so maybe he was someone that needed to be behind the ball to be able to have the game in front of him … I’m really looking forward to Reef playing some really good footy for us.”

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Oh no. He said all the jinx cliches.

 

[sr36]

Oh no. He said all the jinx cliches.

Bruzzy's old school. I love the way he goes about it. I'm pleased that Reef is training the house down and glad he didn't go new age with pbs in the gym and on the track.

Although I did like it a couple of years ago when Lippa became a mathematical genius and invented a new numerical system by running numbers that have never been seen before.

 

[cakewalk06]

Bruzzy's old school. I love the way he goes about it. I'm pleased that Reef is training the house down and glad he didn't go new age with pbs in the gym and on the track.

Although I did like it a couple of years ago when Lippa became a mathematical genius and invented a new numerical system by running numbers that have never been seen before.

Just take it one post at a time, SR.

 

[TradeDraft]

I remain skeptical that Reef will become a regular member of our team. I really hope he makes it, but from what I've seen, he's in the same basket as AJ and Fin; not quite AFL level.

Need to see it in at least some Practice Games before get too excited

 

[DERKADERRR]

Is the the first "training the house down" of the pre season?

 

[Kilmo]

McInnes averaged 1.44 goals a game (ranked =49th in the league alongside Dylan Moore) in his 9 games in 2024. Only Mihocek and McStay averaged better for Collingwood afaik. Likely to have been higher if he hadn’t been used as the sub in 3 of those games. We’ll likely never know why he wasn’t getting more opportunity but he’s certainly been doing enough to maintain the interests of the club.

Yep he was actually pretty decent at kicking goals, just kept getting dragged and dropped, obviously the coaching staff wanted more out of him than just scoreboard pressure. I was surprised to hear he's being reinvented as a defender given this but it sounds like it's going well so far...

 

[sr36]

Is the the first "training the house down" of the pre season?

It's the first one officially announced by a club employee, but there's been a lot of unconfirmed sightings of houses in a tragic state of demolition. I think we're keeping them hushed up to not attract criticism for the housing crisis.

 

[TradeDraft]

Hopefully Reef not like Fin last Pre-Season as Hyped up Big Time but did nothing at AFL Level

 

[ElliottsMaggies]

Let's try something different..which players have been hyped up during pre-season & actually lived up to or exceeded the expectation?

 

[Harry O]

Hopefully Reef not like Fin last Pre-Season as Hyped up Big Time but did nothing at AFL Level

Hopefully we don’t suffer 5 ACL’s next week

 

[watt price tully]

Bruzzy's old school. I love the way he goes about it. I'm pleased that Reef is training the house down and glad he didn't go new age with pbs in the gym and on the track.

Although I did like it a couple of years ago when Lippa became a mathematical genius and invented a new numerical system by running numbers that have never been seen before.

Speaking of numbers I was always intrigued when Nathan Buckley as coach said during the preseason that Collingwood were progressing by virtue of one step forward and two steps back!

 

[Mkcaptain]

Let's try something different..which players have been hyped up during pre-season & actually lived up to or exceeded the expectation?

I think Josh Daicos in 2020 was one

 

[sr36]

Let's try something different..which players have been hyped up during pre-season & actually lived up to or exceeded the expectation?

Coventry

 

[frizzle]

Let's try something different..which players have been hyped up during pre-season & actually lived up to or exceeded the expectation?

I can’t think of any.

 

[frizzle]

I think Josh Daicos in 2020 was one

Yep. Bingo, good get.