Pies fans would believe that once a Collingwood player leaves their club for another, they all of a sudden become a superstar and wonder why they couldn't play like that at our club.
Personnel changes in coaching staff and the general direction the club wanted to go in, meant that trading of players had to occur to ensure that success was in reach.
A list is compiled to highlight those who, if they stayed in the black & white, could've had an impact to this day or until they retired.
Here are the best 10 players Collingwood have traded or delisted since 2003:
Witts played a total of 40 games with the Pies with 20 of them coming in season 2014 where he averaged 10 touches and 19 hit-outs per game.
The emergence of Brodie Grundy and the development of Mason Cox and Darcy Moore meant that Witts would struggle to find a place in Collingwood's best 22 and it eventually saw him traded to the Suns at the end of 2016.
Since then, he has become Gold Coast's co-captain alongside David Swallow and hasn't missed a game in the past couple seasons.
The pacey winger played 11 games in his first season at Collingwood and notched up a total of 49. In and out of the team, Seedsman struggled to secure a spot in an under-performing Pies outfit.
His highlight would be when he won the 2015 ANZAC Day medal after 31 touches, 14 inside 50s and a goal. This game looked like the coming of age for Seedsman.
At the end of 2015, Seedsman was traded to the Crows. He found some form and continuity in 2018 resulting in him playing 19 games, but injury has meant he hasn't been able to hit the park as often.
Nathan Brown wrote his name into Collingwood folklore for the job he did on Saints star Nick Reiwoldt, in the 2010 Grand Final matches.
It was his third season at the club and he looked to secure his spot down back as 'Presti' was retiring. Brown was at the club for nine years and played 130 games for the black & white.
At the end of 2016, the Saints (ironic, huh) put forward an offer that the Pies were not willing to match and saw the full-back leave the club.
Since then, he has played 42 games for the Saints and is a regular in their best 22.
The quick and skilful Wellingham was a crucial cog in the Pies' successes between 2008-2012. He was a consistent member in the Collingwood line-up which saw him play 24 games out of 25 in 2010 in just his third season.
He played 92 games in his five seasons with the Pies and proved pivotal as they remained toward the top of the ladder and at the pointy end of the season.
2013 saw the winger return home to WA to play for West Coast where he played 79 games in five seasons. In 2015, Wellingham played every game including the losing Grand Final against the Hawks.
His career ended at the end of 2017 as his spot in the best 22 wasn't safe.
After a slow start to his career, Lumumba only played 13 games in his first two seasons. However, a surge toward the top saw the Pies make the preliminary final (2007) against Geelong where Lumumba played 23 games that season.
The versatile half-back who is quick and agile was seen as a force to be reckoned with and continued his consistency and form down back until his last season at Collingwood in 2014.
He played every game in the 2010 premiership year and was an integral member to the side's success.
Having fallen out with coach Nathan Buckley, Lumumba took his chance to leave and headed to Melbourne, where he played 24 games in two seasons, his last season only consisting of five matches.
Scotland played five seasons at the Pies during a golden era which saw Collingwood play back-to-back Grand Finals but lose both of them. He was in and out of the side constantly and his last season in 2003 saw him play 10 games including the Grand Final.
Looking for opportunity, Scotland went to Collingwood's arch nemesis in Carlton where he established quite a career which ended up at the end of 2014.
A lock off the half-back, Scotland was able to use both feet as if they were his preferred and spot players not many people could see on the park. A very consistent player who got to the right spots and knew how to use the ball.
This was only seen when he was in the navy blue as he spent the period of 2004-2014 riding the highs and lows that haunted Carlton.
Another Collingwood ruckman traded to the Suns looking for more opportunity.
Fraser burst onto the scene in 2000 where he played 21 games out of a possible 22 games in his debut season. From there, the mobile and agile ruckman who stood at 202cm, was consistently in the Pies' best 22 for the next few years.
He started to lose favour as the Pies recruited "third-tall" Leigh Brown and Darren Jolly around 2009 which saw Fraser starting to be squeezed out.
The Gold Coast Suns' first year saw Fraser as a start-up player who added to his 200 games that he tallied up at the Pies. His career wasn't long at the Suns as his experience on the field wasn't needed post-2012.
A high draft-pick bouncing in with his long blond hair epitomises 'Daisy' Thomas seeing his first year open the eyes of anyone watching the footy.
A significant part in the 2010 premiership side, 'Daisy' was ready to take his game to the next level but constant injury and a pull from Carlton coach Michael Malthouse saw Thomas leave to go to the Blues at the end of the 2013 season.
Still there currently, Thomas tries to use his experience and skill to help develop the young players that seem to be filtering through the Carlton rooms.
Entering his 14th season, 'Daisy' has a little bit left to give, but some would say not much.
Travis Cloke was a powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with. His aerobic ability and marking prowess meant he was one of the elite forwards in the game for many years.
This was highlighted when he kicked 69, 58 and 68 goals in seasons 2011-2013 as a centre-half forward.
Cloke's ability to take big, contested pack marks were like no other and who could forget the grab he took floating across the pack in the 2011 Preliminary Final against the Hawks.
Becoming out-of-favour during 2016, Cloke saw an opportunity to sign with the Bulldogs to continue playing but also help out the up-and-coming forwards they had down at the kennel.
Ironically, his first game in the blue, red and white was against the Pies' and he kicked a 60-metre bomb from the centre square to suggest that he's still got it.
Heath Shaw's bounce and pace off half-back coupled with his penetrating kick and good decision-making proved crucial during an era at Collingwood that saw many finals series.
His consistent ability to find teammates coming out of the back-half was second to none and a lot of the young, speedy half-backs coming through the ranks have based their game on his.
At the end of 2013, Shaw was traded to the Giants as an experienced player who could teach and guide young players as they make their way into the system.
The 33-year-old still has a part to play in the Giants success and is rated high enough at the club to be a regular in their best 22.