Off-contract Collingwood quartet Reef McInnes, Lachie Sullivan, Ned Long and Charlie Dean have secured new one-year deals with the Magpies, while the club has decided to delist duo Ash Johnson and Oleg Markov.
McInnes, 21, has played 20 games in the black and white since being drafted with Pick 23 in the 2020 AFL Draft, making his debut in his second season against Geelong.
The athletic key forward managed a career-high nine games under coach Craig McRae this year, booting goals in his first seven games for the season for a return of 12 majors.
The Oakleigh Chargers graduate struggled to cement his place in the senior side however and would play nine games in the VFL too, shifting between attack and the backline at the state league level.
The emerging forward will enter a critical campaign next year as he looks to cement a place in McRae's side, with Dan McStay eyeing a full season after a year mostly spent on the sidelines while the club reportedly prepares to add Tim Membrey this off-season.
Quartet Mason Cox, Brody Mihocek, Jamie Elliott and Will Hoskin-Elliott have all passed the age 30 barrier, potentially opening spots in Collingwood's front six in the years to come.
Dean joined the Magpies via the 2021 Rookie Draft after claiming the Fothergill-Round-Mitchell Medal with Williamstown as the VFL's best young player.
The key defender made his AFL debut this year in Opening Round against GWS after a luckless rub with injury, with Dean ending the season with eight AFL games to his name.
Sullivan joined the Magpies this year via the Supplemental Selection Period after a string of promising seasons in the VFL with Footscray.
The 27-year-old made his AFL debut against Carlton and would feature in a further nine games to show promise at the higher level.
Long joined the Magpies via this year's Mid-Season Draft after a spell in the club's VFL program, which he joined after being delisted by Hawthorn. He would play seven games for Collingwood this year to bring his career tally to 12 matches.
Meanwhile,ย Markov and Johnson will be delisted by the club with the intention to be re-selected onto the Magpies' list via next month's Rookie Draft.
Markov is a premiership player with Collingwood, having joined the club ahead of the 2023 season after stints with Richmond and Gold Coast, while Johnson has played 27 games since joining the Magpies via the 2021 Mid-Season Draft.
โWe are pleased to retain Charlie, Ned, Reef and Lachie for another season,โ Collingwood Head of Football Strategy, Innovation and List Management Justin Leppitsch said in a statement.
โCharlie and Reef have had their own injury struggles, but their ongoing resilience has enabled them to easily slot back into our system.
โSince joining us, Ned and Lachie have shown great determination to learn our game plan and have seamlessly integrated into the team.
โAll four players have added value to both our AFL and VFL programs and we look forward to seeing each of them take their football to another level next year.
โWe've had to make a difficult decision around Ash and Oleg for 2025, but we are committed to re-listing them as Rookies in the upcoming draft in November.โ
The first AFL list lodgement is required to be finalised no later than Thursday, October 31.
