Collingwood football manager Geoff Walsh has defended the club’s inactive trade period but says the club "would love Tom Lynch".
Walsh details the diminishing of key forwards in modern football as reasons why the Pies were quiet players in the off-season.
The Pies did not go after former number two draft pick Josh Schache, who was reportedly home sick and eventually traded from the Brisbane Lions to the Western Bulldogs.
Collingwood’s lack of interest in Shache seemed strange, given the team’s glaring need of a key forward to pair with youngster Darcy Moore.
“We weren’t active in trade week last year, but if you look back in recent times, Collingwood has been as active as any club over the past few years,” Walsh said.
“Power forwards, the very good ones, are extremely hard to get.
“The game is changing a bit, the power forwards are probably not as crucial to a team’s set-ups as they perhaps once were.
“I think the power forwards, unless they are at the absolute elite level ... their influence in the game has lessened.”
Collingwood will be one of the main suitors for Gold Coast co-captain Tom Lynch, who will become a free agent at the end of this season.
Walsh said the club “would love Tom Hawkins or Tom Lynch”, who were proven performers, but acknowledged the difficulties of recruiting big, elite forwards.
President Eddie McGuire suggested the Pies will be more active this October, hinting a target could be a power forward.