"Players, not picks".
That was Collingwood coach Craig McRae's philosophy heading into the 2024 AFL Trade and Free Agency period, and he wasn't joking around.
After winning the services of former GWS utility Harry Perryman over Port Adelaide, Hawthorn and the Giants via free agency, the Pies turned their attention to two-time All-Australian Dan Houston, who was keen to return to Victoria.
Houston made it clear that he didn't want to return to the Power despite having three years remaining on his contract.
McRae and his coaching staff identified a need across the half-back line, with John Noble likely to leave.
And, last Tuesday, Justin Leppitsch, in his first year in charge of the club's list management, got his man in a three-club, five-player mega trade.
Collingwood farewelled Noble (Gold Coast), Joe Richards (Port Adelaide) and their future first-round pick, indicating that the club is all in on a premiership in 2025.
Overall, Pies fans are happy with their acquisitions, especially if they deliver them back to the top of the mountain.
So what do Houston and Perryman add to Collingwood? Their combination could allow the Magpies to rekindle their place as a premiership threat off the back of a built different off-season approach.ย
For starters, they are established talents that can play a multitude of roles.
At times throughout 2024, with McRae limited on selection due to injuries, he was forced to rely heavily on the Daicos brothers, Jack Crisp and Scott Pendlebury, in the absence of Jordan De Goey and Tom Mitchell.
Despite finishing second in the Brownlow Medal, Nick Daicos was pulled pillar to post, and if it wasn't him, it was a bust.
Now there's a healthy spread of top-tier talent, with Perryman flagged for midfield minutes to assist in alleviating some of the pressure.
The former Giant had been shunted to either end of the ground where Adam Kingsley - and previously Leon Cameron - required him, never flirting him through the centre due to their stacked on-ball brigade.
Perryman's versatility will allow the Daicos brothers to have more flexibility on gameday, whilst an increased level of trust would go into the 129-gamer.
And when in doubt, the 26-year-old can be positioned where McRae needs him as a Mr Fix It.ย
Houston is an immediate upgrade on what Noble produced, reflected by his two All-Australian blazers.
"For me, I see my best footy as that high half-back," Houston said on SEN shortly after being traded.ย
"I like to get aggressive and a little bit higher (up the field) than most others.
"Speaking to Fly, he's a big one that likes to move people around onto the middle or onto a wing compared to other coaches.
"I see my best footy at halfback, but if I go into the middle or on a wing so a Nick can go to halfback, then I'm happy to go to those other positions."
The former Power defender will build on Collingwood's desire to move the ball quickly from the back half, utilising his dare and penetrating kick to pierce the opposition's structure.
However, McRae has already marked a necessity for his players to feature across multiple roles, and pushing Houston further up the ground could allow Josh Daicos to switch back, which fans saw in 2024.
Pending full fitness of the list, the Pies are poised at another flag tilt, which was difficult due to injuries to key players in the season just gone.
But adding bonafide talents to the mix, who are in the prime of their careers, not only raises the floor by improving the level of standards and training off the field but can only raise the ceiling of what Collingwood can achieve on it.
McRae will still look to bring one key defender in, while they've trailed Billy Frampton and Charlie Dean to relatively good effect, whilst Tim Membrey has been identified as a need to bolster the forward line.
But between the arcs, the Pies have made a strong case for the best blend in the competition.
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