Collingwood coach Craig McRae has flagged that the reigning premiers won't "stand still" come this year's trade period, noting a potential area the Magpies may look to add to their list while offering some insight on the future of an unsigned veteran.
While often busy in the player movement space, the powerhouse club's prospects of luring top-line talent to Olympic Park have weakened due to the fact the Magpies are without their first-round selection for this year's AFL Draft.
Still able to trade future draft selections, while currently holding Picks 32, 47 and 50 for November's count, Collingwood could still be active via the trade and free agency levers, the latter of which does not require the exchanging of draft selections.
One player linked to the Magpies this year is former player and Crows defender Mark Keane, who has been tied to a potential return to the black and white despite having a deal at West Lakes for the next 12 months.
Questioned on the club's interest in the Irishman, McRae played a straight bat while speaking on the club's desire to improve its list in the coming months.
"We're keen on any player that we think will make us better," the premiership coach said.
"We're not willing to stand still, we're not going to sit at the trade period and not look at all acquisitions that we think can improve us."
Pried on what area of his list he would most like to strengthen, McRae initially stated tall forwards as a potential area to bolster before cheekily listing off all other lines of the field.
Crediting the work of key position pair Dan McStay and Brody Mihocek, McRae said every club would love to be home to a Coleman Medal-winning duo like Carlton's Charlie Curnow and Harry McKay.
"The key forwards of the competition, we'd love to get one of those. And would love to get an inside mid, and we'd love to get a nice key defender as well and a couple of wingmen," McRae laughed.
"We want to just keep getting better. Everyone has to, otherwise, you're standing here in September enjoying the Sun without the footy.
"We'd like to think that we have Dan and Checkers, who are incredible at what they do. Most teams would be craving for a Curnow and McKay in their forward line, wouldn't they? But not many have them, though."
The Magpies still have a plethora of internal list decisions to make over the coming weeks, with more than a dozen players still unsigned for the 2025 season.
Among them is two-time premiership veteran Steele Sidebottom, whose future has been of interest after contracts for senior duo Scott Pendlebury and Jeremy Howe for next year were revealed over the past month.
McRae said Sidebottom is deserving of a new deal, expressing the need to retain experienced stalwarts to aid the club's fledgling flock.
"That's a work in progress. That's happening behind the scenes, but nothing to confirm," he said of Sidebottom's contract situation.
"I think his body of work right now suggests he's got life in those old legs of his. He's playing roles for us, and he looks hungry and motivated to do so. So I'd be surprised if something doesn't come of that in the coming weeks.
Most of [our over-30 players] are in contract. I don't think we're gonna delist Penldes (laughs). What I think we have is great experience, you can't buy that.
"You've got experience for our young guys. Ed Allan's a developing midfielder and has got Pendles next to him. We've got Nick Daicos Being mentored by Pendles, Steele and Crispy.
"Experience is great in certain parts of your game, and it looks really old when you when you're losing, that's the reality of our game. We're holding onto our experience."
Will Hoskin-Elliott, Nathan Kreuger, Reef McInnes, Oleg Markov and Joe Richards are among the contingent of Collingwood players still without deals for next year.
