Collingwood misses out on star free agents despite being AFL's richest club
Collingwood missed out on free agents Ben King and Zak Butters despite being wealthy.
Collingwood missed out on recruiting star free agents Ben King and Zak Butters this year. Each time, the players chose other Melbourne clubs instead.
The Magpies are among the richest and most powerful clubs in the competition. They have arguably the biggest following of any sports club in Australia.
They play more games at the MCG than any other team. Analyst Kane Cornes has questioned if they are truly the destination club they claim to be.
Since 2022, Collingwood have signed players like Dan McStay, Tom Mitchell and Bobby Hill. But these signings have not created the excitement expected.
Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos said some recruits have struggled to adapt to the club's game style. Coach Craig Kelly said earlier this year that Collingwood are a destination club with top facilities and coaching.
But the pattern of missing out on the game's biggest names suggests otherwise.
- Ben King and Zak Butters
- Free agents missed
- Play most games per year
- MCG advantage
Why it mattersA club's ability to get top talent determines its chances of competing for premierships. Collingwood's recruitment struggles could hurt their finals prospects.
AustraliaCollingwood's on-field performance matters to millions of AFL fans across Australia who follow the Magpies closely.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 8 d ago
