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]
Prediction
Although the Pies will have a fresh new look under Craig McRae this season to go along with some quality top-end talent, the lack of experience on their list may prove to be their downfall as they'll struggle to compete with the top sides throughout the year.
A young team may fade out in the back end of the year, and I'm sure they'll have their flashes of brilliance, but as a whole it's hard to see too many teams being worse than them in 2022.
They shouldn't be as poor as they were in 2021, and a finish above the bottom four would be a very good result for the Pies in 2022, but the Magpies faithful may be in for another long season.
Predicted Position:ย 14th
