AFL: HOT PIES FACE A CHALLENGE

Can the magnificent Magpies make it two AFL flags in a row after their barnstorming premiership in 2023?

PlayUp has them as a $5 favourite which on form is justifiable as under Craig McRae from their past 37 matches, they have lost only eight.

A lot were close games such as the Grand Final but the bottom line is they continually get the job done.

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Are they capable of improvement? Probably not. Can they maintain that form? Again, probably not.

They go into next season with the oldest list and the most experienced in the competition.

Sure Nick Daicos at 21 will only improve and Isaac Quaynor and Bobby Hill are 24 but the majority of the premiership team was over 25.

Surely father time has to catch up at some stage with their greatest player this century in Scott Pendlebury and also his sidekick Steele Sidebottom?

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Losing Dan McStay recently with an injury is also a major blow as he played a pivotal role in their premiership win in a forward line which lacks a power-forward although Brody Mihocek has been under-rated.

They have picked up a quality player in Lachie Schultz from Fremantle.

Also, history is against them. In modern times, Collingwood haven’t won two in a row although they made the Grand Final in 2011 but lost by 38 points to Geelong.

Since 2016 the only team who has played in a Grand Final and made the next one has been Richmond in 2020.

Collingwood play an amazing brand of team football but going back-to-back is going to be a challenge.