Collingwood have announced themselves as a finals contender after a 17th-placed finish last season, with rookie coach Craig McRae leading his young brigade to a potential September berth in 2022.
The Magpies have blooded a number of new names and faces across this year and continue to prove doubters wrong despite their youthful squad.
The likes of prized pick Nick Daicos and former Bulldog Patrick Lipinski have been a breath of fresh air, while Darcy Cameron is enjoying a career-best campaign in his third year at the club since switching from Sydney.
The trio, among many others, have been crucial in Collingwood's turn of fortunes, with further off-season acquisitions needed to strengthen the club's hopes of reaching an elusive 16th premiership.
With the Magpies likely to be major players in the open market this year, we've named five potential targets for Collingwood to consider.
TRADE TARGETS: ADELAIDE, BRISBANE, CARLTON
A seemingly obvious option given recent reports have suggested the Pies have tabled a lucrative five-year, $3 million offer to McStay to lure the Lions forward to the AIA Centre.
Touted as the front-runner for the Lions' free agent, Collingwood could see McStay as a more than formidable option to fill an overwhelming void in their forward 50.
The past several seasons have seen the Magpies rely on smaller-framed forwards as their top targets offensively, with a more demanding option needed to compliment the likes of Brody Mihocek, Ollie Henry and the club's array of small forwards.
The reported price tag for McStay is perhaps steeper than a few fans would warrant for a player that averages 0.84, but the market for a key-forward is currently scarce, and the Magpies are likely to face competition for the 27-year-old's services.
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With a new CBA set to be signed off by the year's end, a back-ended deal for McStay could balance out the substantial sum of an estimated $600,000-per-year deal and frame as a viable offer for the Lion.
Another player the Pies have been linked to, both this year and last.
Hill notably requested a move to Victoria at the end of the 2021 season and a potential move to Essendon fell through, while Collingwood were understood to be circling with an offer of their own ready.
With Hill remaining at the Giants for another 12 months and now set to reach the end of his contract, interest from the Pies - and potentially others - is anticipated.
A pure forward threat, Hill would not only add to a promising small forward crop that includes Beau McCreery and Jack Ginnivan, but would allow the fledgling pair to move further up the ground and share their workload in midfield, a similar path to that of Jordan De Goey.
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Hill boasts a neat craft at ground level, but has found himself among the best high flyers in the competition, emerging as an aerial threat as much as he is one when the ball hits the deck.
When you identify what list needs the Magpies currently long for, it's easy to see key position stocks at either end of the field are in need of bolstering.
Whether it be in attack or across half-back, St Kilda swingman Josh Battle has shown a knack to cover both roles, and could do so under Craig McRae seamlessly.
This year, Battle has flourished as a defensive interceptor and mover of the Sherrin from the back half for the Saints and could work in tandem with the likes of Darcy Moore, Jeremy Howe and Brayden Maynard in further strengthening McRae's rearguard.
Off-contract this season, Battle is sure to demand a hefty pay bump from the Saints after announcing himself as a best 22 player this year, while the club looks to lock in fellow tall Rowan Marshall for the future.
Like Battle, Schache has shown a prowess to offer his skill set in an array of avenues, whether that be in defence, attack or even pinch-hitting in the ruck.
While perhaps not as consistent as Dogs fans may have liked, the ex-Lion has stepped up on the odd occasion to show why he remains in Luke Beveridge's selection calculations.
The 24-year-old's past fortnight since returning to the fold has shown glimpses of what Schache can offer at AFL level, albeit with no certainty of a renewed selection in the coming weeks as Beveridge faces a selection squeeze with his taller stocks.
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With no contract signed for next season, could Schache consider joining a third club? Like his now-former teammates Patrick Lipinski, the former Pick 2 would find himself playing as a more relied-upon asset in the black and white.
The fringe Lion midfielder is putting in work at VFL level, and his most recent outing would have put plenty of Pies on notice.
The 25-year-old collected 43 touches (19 more than any other player on the field), 7 clearances, 7 marks, 10 inside 50s and 2 goals against Collingwood's reserves in a 25-point win at Olympic Park on Saturday.
Those numbers are no anomaly either, with Mathieson consistently among the Lions' leading ball-winners and impact players in the second tier.
He has, however, found himself without an opportunity at AFL level under Chris Fagan, having not been sighted this season despite his stunning run of form in the twos.
As the Lions show little need for Mathieson this season, the hard-nosed onballer could come at a cheap price for any interested suitor, with Collingwood able to pick up another bargain fringe midfielder.
Collingwood have just one inside midfielder aged in the 24-27-year-old bracket, with that player being out-of-contract star Jordan De Goey, who is no certainty to be in black and white next year.
Should the Pies want add to low list of ready-made onballers, Mathieson will come at next to nothing and could have a resounding impact.