Collingwood suffered a tumultuous 2021 season to say the least.
The fallout from the disastrous 2020 trade period seeing a number of key players leave and be traded, to the distractions of the Do Better report and the resignation of head coach Nathan Buckley led to a season that Magpie fans would rather forget and move on from.
The Pies finished a disappointing 17th on the ladder last year with only six wins to show for it, but since the appointment of head coach Craig McRae, things are looking more positive for the Magpies community heading into the 2022 season.
A change of coaching with McRae, as well as Justin Leppitsch and Brendon Bolton joining the coaching staff, and a change in culture to go along with the arrival of young star Nick Daicos and talented midfielder Patrick Lipinski, has breathed much-needed life into the club following their disastrous 2021 campaign.
With a young list that is eager to impress the Magpies faithful, Collingwood will be an interesting side to observe in 2022 to see how they fare against the rest of the competition.
A big Melbourne club with a big Melbourne fan base comes with lots of pressure and expectation, so let's dive into Collingwood's 2022 season preview.
Off-Season Moves
Ins: Nick Daicos, Patrick Lipinski [Western Bulldogs], Nathan Kreuger [Geelong Cats], Charlie Dean, Arlo Draper, Harvey Harrison, Cooper Murley
Outs: Levi Greenwood [retired], Max Lynch [Hawthorn Hawks], Chris Mayne [retired], Jay Rantall [delisted], Brayden Sier [delisted], Josh Thomas [retired]
Weaknesses
Attacking capacity: The most obvious weakness for the Pies is their forward line and lack of key forward stocks.
Since Travis Cloke left the Pies at the end of the 2016 season, there has yet to be a bonified key forward to come in and land that role.
Brody Mihocek is their go-to forward at the moment, but does face limitations with his medium-sized frame, while Mason Cox has yet to show he can consistently perform as a key tall in the Magpies' forward line.
The experiment of Darcy Moore in the forward line didn't work last year, as he is much more suited to the backline, and Jordan De Goey's move into the midfield last year further depleted their forward stocks.
The lack of scoring was evident in 2021, ranking 16th in the league for points scored per game, and it's a glaring issue that McRae will be focused on heading into the new season.
Senior figures: Although the Magpies have a lot of talented youth coming through the ranks, it also places them with a lack of experience that leaves them vulnerable.
The Pies have the 13th oldest list with an average age of 24.1 years across the playing group.
Experienced players in Levi Greenwood, Chris Mayne and Josh Thomas have retired since the end of last season, meaning even more youth will play and will bring the average age down further.
It's a situation that would benefit Collingwood in the long-term, but for the short-term, it may become a weakness for when the Pies come up against the more experienced sides in the competition.
