Jamie Elliott (left) and Nick Daicos after the Preliminary Final between Collingwood and Brisbane at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 20, 2025. Picture: AFL Photos

COLLINGWOOD coach Craig McRae says the Magpies will turn their attention to re-signing out-of-contract veterans Jamie Elliott and Brody Mihocek after Saturday’s preliminary final loss to Brisbane, as well as attacking the trade period again.

Both forwards have been offered two-year contracts to remain at Collingwood, but Melbourne is pushing to poach Mihocek and Gold Coast has been exploring a trade for Elliott for months. 

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Elliott was named in the All-Australian squad for the first time in his career after kicking a personal-best 52 goals during the home and away season, before making a point to the selectors by kicking four more goals on Saturday after four in the qualifying final win over Adelaide.

“We are hopeful [of retaining both of them],” McRae told reporters after the 29-point loss on Saturday night.

“It’s been put to the back burner, but now it’s on the front burner. Let’s get busy and work through that. I’ll leave it up to others to secure our talent. 

“Jamie was enormous again tonight, he’s had an enormous year. He is a wanted player.

“We’ve offered these guys two-year contracts – both of them – I’m not sure if that’s out in the media, but I’ll let the people doing that job do their job and come in where needed.”

McRae defended the decision to select Mihocek, who dislocated his toe against the Crows and finished scoreless against the Lions. 

“Everything comes out. He has done a tendon in his toe, he ripped the tendon off it,” McRae said. 

“He is in a lot of pain, but with some ability to take some painkillers he doesn’t feel anything.

“It hasn’t affected him to train and to play, but it will be sore tomorrow. He couldn’t do any more damage so we managed him through training.”

Brody Mihocek handballs while being tackled during the Preliminary Final between Collingwood and Brisbane at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 20, 2025. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos

Three of Collingwood’s 23 in the preliminary final – Dan Houston, Harry Perryman and Tim Membrey – were acquired during last year’s free agency, trade period and delisted free agency window.

The Magpies tried to lure key defender Jack Silvagni to the club as a free agent before he chose St Kilda and could explore a move for dual All-Australian Steven May, who has been told by Melbourne to see if he can find a third club. 

“I’m not going to stand still trying to get better. Last year I said it was players over picks, it won’t be that extreme this year – there will be a balance – but we want to bring talent into our organisation that makes us better. We won’t stand still on that,” he said.

“I’m sure our fans want to hear that, I’m sure our players want to hear that we won’t stand still and want to keep improving ourselves. if there is an opportunity to bring high end talent in, we will explore that.”

Collingwood champion Scott Pendlebury was substituted out of the game after just five minutes due to a calf strain, with fifth-gamer Roan Steele activated far sooner than expected. 

McRae said the loss of the second-most experienced player in VFL/AFL history didn’t just have an impact on helping the team in such a high-stakes environment, but also impacted the Pies’ ability to tag All-Australian midfielder Hugh McCluggage.  

“It doesn’t help when you lose one of your most experienced players. He did a calf early, which was really strange, but this is what happens. It is what it is,” he said.

“We thought we were really well prepared for this game, physically and emotionally and tactically, then you have to pivot. We had plans to tag McCluggage and then you need Steele to play different roles and then there is a flow-on effect.”

McRae also pointed out that the non-call on Elliott at a crucial time in the fourth quarter should have been paid for front-on contact against Brandon Starcevich. That goal would have reduced the margin to six points.

“It looked like that [front-on contact free kick],” he said. 

“No guarantee he kicks the goal though. This is the world I live in, I never make excuses, I don’t want our fans to see a coach that leads our group through excuses because it just doesn’t get you anywhere. I think losers make excuses, we don’t, we’re winners. We didn’t win today, clearly beaten by a better team – I think they would have beaten us anyway – you can say what ifs and if only, but not the space we live in. 

“We didn’t control the things we could control well around stoppage. We had great momentum going into half-time and we let it slip.”

After kicking six goals to none in the second quarter, Collingwood conceded seven goals to two in the third quarter, which ultimately proved to be the difference in the end. McRae lamented that burst, knowing how long it takes to reach this far.

“You get to this point of the year and you realise how close you are, but they are bloody hard to win. It takes a long time to get back here,” he said.