Collingwood's Scoring Crisis: Veteran Jeremy Howe Eyed as Forward Solution
Veteran defender Jeremy Howe is emerging as a potential answer to Collingwood's severe scoring difficulties this AFL season. However, coach Craig McRae has firmly stated he will not rush Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill back into action, despite the team's pressing offensive woes.
The Magpies, currently languishing in 13th place on the ladder, rank second-last for points scored in the competition. They are averaging a mere 69.6 points per game, a significant drop from their 85.6-point average last year. This scoring slump was starkly highlighted in their recent six-point loss to Fremantle, where they managed only five goals from 61 forward entries under challenging conditions.
Howe's Potential Role in Attack
McRae is actively exploring new avenues to goal and is considering deploying Howe in an attacking role when Collingwood, with a record of 2-3, face traditional rivals Carlton at the MCG on Thursday night. The 35-year-old premiership defender, who began his AFL career as a forward with Melbourne and has occasionally been used as a swingman, trained with the Magpies' attacking group on Tuesday.
"I'm open-minded to all sorts of things," McRae remarked after the training session. "We'll just have to wait and see what that looks like because we might not have enough troops down back to support that. But we might train him there over the next few weeks in case we need to throw him forward - or when Darcy Moore is back he might play there a bit more permanently."
Struggling Forward Line and Midfield Issues
Collingwood's forward line has been underperforming significantly. Last year's leading goal-kicker, Jamie Elliott, has managed just five majors in as many games this season. Brody Mihocek, who was second on the goal-kicking list in 2025, has since moved to Melbourne. Other forwards like Daniel McStay (eight goals), Tim Membrey (seven), and Lachie Schultz (six) have failed to make a substantial impact.
The midfielders are also shouldering blame for poor connection with the forwards. McRae acknowledged the team's struggles, stating, "Lots of parts of our game are going OK but there's just little things that we need to improve, like chemistry and connection. I keep wrestling with whether it's method or personnel. I'm really living in that space. We're trying to improve our method to see if it is personnel, but we're living in this constant growth mindset."
Bobby Hill's Delayed Return and Injury Updates
Bobby Hill is not yet an option for selection as the Magpies continue to build his fitness following personal leave. The 26-year-old livewire has been back in training for almost a month, but there is no definitive timeline for his return to AFL action. "He's in pre-season mode and we've got an eye on the long-term," McRae explained. "You watch him train today; he looks lively and exciting and the agility's back. It's exciting to just see him improve session after session."
In further injury news, McRae confirmed that Steele Sidebottom (hip) has joined Jordan De Goey (concussion) and skipper Darcy Moore (hamstring) on the sidelines after failing to complete training on Tuesday. Sidebottom received a heavy knock before halftime against Fremantle and is likely to miss one match. "We've got a six-day break and there's actually quite a lot of bleeding there, so he won't play," McRae said.
Carlton's Return of Key Players
Meanwhile, Carlton, with a record of 1-4, are set to welcome back vice-captain Jacob Weitering and young defender Harry Dean, both recovering from concussion, as they aim to resurrect their season against the Magpies. This match is crucial for both teams as they seek to improve their standings and address their respective challenges in the AFL competition.
