Lachie Schultz poses during Collingwood’s 2024 team photo day at the AIA Centre on February 8, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

LACHIE Schultz didn’t have phone reception when he was traded to Collingwood two years ago, or in 2018 when he was drafted by Fremantle. He was on safari in Tanzania when a trade deal was struck to get him to the Magpies in 2023, after working in a basement when the Dockers picked him five years earlier.

Last year, the small forward had 5G coverage. He just wished he didn’t. 

Schultz was traded from Fremantle in the weeks after the Magpies won a record-equalling 16th premiership. The deal wasn’t cheap – far from it. Collingwood sent a 2024 first round pick, which became pick No.14 last November, and pick No.34 to the Dockers in exchange for the Moama product.

Collingwood didn’t return to September last year, and Schultz didn’t reach the heights he set in 2022 and 2023 when he finished fifth and sixth in the Doig Medal. It was a brutal time for the recruit, who scrolled social media at his own peril, until he didn’t. Schultz had to switch off public comments on Instagram.

Dan Houston has lived a similar experience this year. Arriving at the AIA Centre as a back-to-back All-Australian, expectations were sky high for the half-back. Living up to them has been tough, which is why he has leant on Schultz for advice.

Lachie Schultz during the 2024 Collingwood official team photo day at AIA Centre on February 8, 2024. Picture: AFL Photos

The 27-year-old is in a position to help now after a campaign where he has returned to the peak of his powers, despite missing nine games due to injuries. Schultz knows, better than most, form is temporary, class is permanent. 

“Last year, was so tough. I got absolutely reamed. I wasn’t expecting it coming to the club. I thought the team would pick up where it left off; I thought I would pick up where I left off and everything would be good. The year didn’t go as planned and I copped the backlash because of that,” Schultz tells AFL.com.au. 

“A lot of it was warranted backlash: I wasn’t happy with my year, but it doesn’t make it any easier at the same time. You’re already struggling mentally with your own form, then to cop it externally as well makes it even harder going into games with that doubt on yourself and that doubt that you’re going to disappoint fans or people that support you.

“That’s the hardest part. I was able to get to the end of the year and understand what had happened, sit down and reflect on it and go again. 

“What Collingwood gave up for me made the pressure so high. It makes this year so much better. Last year was the lowest of lows; mentally I was struggling, physically on the field I was struggling. This year, to reap the rewards of sticking fat and soldiering on, being able to push all that distraction aside.

“Looking back on it now, I’m grateful I had to go through it to be able to appreciate this year even more.

“I probably let it get to me a little bit last year. I knew it was there. I was supported by great people around the club and knew how valued I was inside the four walls. As cliché as it sounds, that was enough for me.

“It’s nice to be appreciated outside the club, but last year that wasn’t the case.”

Schultz put his head down over summer and got to work. He made a fast start to the year, winning the Richard Pratt Medal for his best on ground performance against Carlton in round four. He missed three games with a hamstring strain out of that game, then four more after a recurrence in round 13. 

Collingwood assistant coach Scott Selwood helped him believe again. The former Cat, who has dealt with unfathomable family tragedy this year, has been in Schultz’s corner from the moment he walked in the door, showing instead of telling. 

“Scott Selwood has been just unbelievable for me,” Schultz said. “What he has done for me personally since I got to the club – since my first day at the club – I was in awe of how good he was and how much of a people person he was and the connections he makes with his players,” he says.

“Obviously, a lot of that stems off ‘Fly’ [coach Craig McRae] – it comes from the top down – but ‘Scoot’ [Selwood] has taken me under his wing.”

Schultz found himself in the eye of a storm in May when he was concussed against his former side in Perth. Play should have stopped when Schultz was knocked out while trying to tackle Jordan Clark, but it didn’t. The saga swirled for weeks. 

The Bendigo Pioneers export wasn’t consumed by the finger pointing and drama that played out in the media, but will never forget seeing so many former teammates waiting outside Collingwood’s change rooms to check on him. 

“It was a big talking point. I was involved, but it didn’t really have much to do with me. It didn’t look good on tape. I was able to shake it off pretty quickly, which was good,” he says.

“My favourite part of it was as soon as I walked out of the change rooms at the end of the game and having all my ex-teammates there, even though they’d just lost that game of footy, to support me and show respect was something I will cherish and am extremely grateful for.”

Schultz had played in one winning final before arriving at Collingwood. The last time he played in September was when the Magpies beat the Dockers in the 2022 semi at the MCG. Now he is one win away from playing in a Grand Final.

It was something that didn’t look possible when he was overlooked in three drafts after finishing in the Coates Talent League. 

Lachie Schultz celebrates a goal during the match between Collingwood and Melbourne at the MCG in round 24, 2025. Picture: Getty Images

“Your dream ever since you’re a kid is to win an AFL Grand Final, not just play AFL. To be in a position where that’s actually a possibility is special,” he says.

“Along the way, there were a few drafts I missed out on and you start doubting if you’re ever going to get to the AFL. You can sit back and go, ‘you got to the AFL, but are you satisfied? Is that enough?’. For me, I’m not (satisfied). I want to win a premiership. To look back on the journey to be close to that is pretty special.”

Schultz moved from Moama to Melbourne to play for Williamstown in the VFL, where Fremantle list manager David Walls scouted him before selecting him at pick No.57 in the 2018 Draft. Six other clubs reached out, but it was then Dockers coach Ross Lyon on the other end of the phone when he stepped out of the basement during his days working as a plumber. 

His manager, Jason Dover from TGI Sport, finally reached him in Tanzania almost two years ago, hours after a deal had been struck with Collingwood, 12 months before he was out-of-contract and would have been a free agent.

Now Schultz is living up to his end of the bargain, much to the delight of the black and white army.