Collingwood’s low-key approach to the 2025 trade period has come under sharp scrutiny, with former Port Adelaide star Kane Cornes questioning why the Magpies didn’t even attempt to lure Melbourne star Clayton Oliver.
In his end-of-trade rankings on The Footy Show, Cornes said the reigning premiers appeared surprisingly dormant while big names were being discussed across the competition. “Oliver was free to a good home; Collingwood didn’t even pick up the phone,” Cornes said.
“They couldn’t find him. This is the Collingwood Football Club, and no one wanted to go and play for them. They couldn’t get anyone in. Not even Silvagni. What’s going on at Collingwood? They got worse, not better.”
Cornes says Magpies’ stock has dropped
The Magpies, who pulled off blockbuster trades for Dan Houston and Harry Perryman last year, kept things quiet this time around, focusing instead on list stability and minor pick swaps.
But Cornes argued that silence wasn’t golden, suggesting the club’s reputation may have taken a hit after failing to attract top talent.
With Oliver’s name swirling as one of the biggest potential moves of the trade window, Collingwood’s absence from the conversation has raised eyebrows among fans and pundits alike. Whether it’s part of a longer-term plan or a missed opportunity remains to be seen.