He won’t be the one to say it, but Collingwood winger Roan Steele is becoming firmly ingrained in Craig McRae’s best side.
And he acknowledges he’s part of a crucial wave of next-generation Magpies at a point in time where the club’s ageing contingent nears an end.
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Steele is only 12 games into his journey at Collingwood since arriving last year as a midseason draft pick from West Perth, but Magpies fans will tell you he’s made a wing his own this year.
The 24-year-old is a hard runner, has the speed to play an impactful role in the modern game, is a thoughtful user of the footy, and has a mature head on his shoulders that’ll serve him well at the level.
Steele called what was his first — and likely not last — Anzac Day appearance for the Pies an “unreal experience”, and he set the tone early in what was a well-rounded display that only accentuated his value in Craig McRae’s lineup.
Against the Bombers, Steele finished with 18 disposals, two goals and eight score involvements; marked as the game’s fifth-highest rated player, per Champion Data’s ratings.
But while statistically it was his best game of the season — and arguably his best at the club — the Frankston native isn’t fixated on the numbers as he continues to find his feet at the professional level.
“I think I’m still building into the team, I’m still finding my role a little bit, still trying to feel as comfortable and confident out there as possible,” Steele told Foxfooty.com.au on Anzac Day.
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“I think my strengths lie on the outside, so to be able to get on the outside there a little bit, it’s not necessarily all about kicks, marks and handballs, and goals are just an added bonus there.
“But for me, it’s really simple: just keep turning up, keep outnumbering at contests, and then hopefully, as we did (last Saturday), a little bit of benefit on the back with a couple of goals.”
It’s that consistency in his approach to his role that has made him effectively a mainstay in this Collingwood outfit — having played all seven matches this year after five in the second half of last season.
But while from the outside it seems as if Steele has solidified his spot, the humble Pie says it “definitely” doesn’t feel that way.
“I think we’ve got such a strong group of experienced players, absolute stars, so I think that keeps me on edge a little bit every week,” he said.
“I just want to give as much back of myself to them and play my role every week, and if it means that there’s a spot there for me, then absolutely I’ll keep putting my hand up for that.
“I just want to keep doing the little things really well, want to be a great teammate — we talk about that all the time — I know that I’ll get my reward in the end, but I’ve just got to keep turning up, and keep doing the little things that everyone internally really appreciates.”
Steele spends most of his time with midfield assistant coach Matthew Boyd, who, like Collingwood’s No.45, wasn’t a top choice in his road to the AFL — overlooked in his draft-eligible year and picked in the 2001 rookie draft.
“I think we have a really good relationship — he was obviously a little bit similar to me, getting picked up not in his 18s year, a little bit later on, so we’ve built a really natural connection through that,” Steele said.
“I sit down with ‘Boydy’ every week … and he points out the little things — it’s not about the kicks, marks, handballs, it’s about keep doing the little things within my role.
“And if I keep doing that and keep feeling comfortable and confident, keep trusting myself, then hopefully there’s a spot there for the rest of the year, which would be nice.”
Steele arrived at Collingwood last year on a six-month deal — standard for midseason draftees — but quickly ascended in status to earn a two-year extension, keeping him in the black and white until at least the end of 2027.
Steele celebrates kicking a goal during the Round 7 Anzac Day match between the Essendon Bombers and Collingwood Magpies at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on April 25, 2026 (Photo by Daniel Pockett via Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
But despite being almost a full year into his career, it hasn’t quite sunk in yet that he’s an AFL player.
“I don’t know when it’ll sink in, to be honest. It’s still sort of walk in every day, seeing guys who’ve done so much in their career — Jordy De Goey, Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury, even the Daicos brothers,” he said.
“Every day, I don’t take it for granted. (After) being on the other side of it, having to work my way through the state leagues … and I think since Day 1 I’ve always wanted to put my head down, ask as many questions as possible, be super inquisitive and try and learn as much as possible off these guys who have played for 15 or 20 years.
“It’s no surprise that they’re still here and still performing as well as they do; it’s because they do all the little things well.
“I just want to be a sponge to that, and if I can take bits and pieces off Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom, then it’ll help me for sure.”
Steele is yet another feel-good story of a player who wasn’t on the radar as a junior, before finding his feet in local competition and the state leagues, before being rightfully rewarded.
He played the majority of his footy for Frankston YCW in the Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League, before getting picked up by the Casey Demons for the 2022 season.
After thriving there for three seasons, he jetted over to West Perth where he averaged 21.1 disposals per game last year, putting himself firmly on the radar for the AFL’s midyear intake.
Joining Collingwood as a 24-year-old, Steele not only has confidence in his body being AFL-ready, but also believes his age has allowed him to connect with Pies teammates of varying ages.
“Yeah, I think (being mature-aged has helped), and even smaller than that is just being able to build relationships,” Steele said.
“I’m sort of at an age where I can connect with the 18-year-olds and the guys that are sort of pushing the 30s as well. So, I think I’m in a really good spot, and I’ve sort of learnt that through being at multiple footy clubs that relationships are a big thing.
“I think that’s helped me. If I can tip as much into other people that I sort of get the rewards off the back of that as well, so definitely it helps playing a lot of state-league footy, and feeling confident as quick as possible in your body, and knowing that it’ll stand up.
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“Just feeling really confident in my strengths and my running power and my ability to outnumber, I know it can stand up.”
External discourse has focussed on Collingwood’s ageing list for several years now — the oldest and most experienced in the competition, with 10 players aged 30 or older — but Steele is leading the next cluster of young Pies talent.
Steele stood tall against Essendon, and Will Hayes (19 years old), Oscar Steene (22) and Angus Anderson (22) had their moments, while the likes of Charlie West, Joel Cochran (both 20) and more take their time developing in the reserves.
“Yeah, I think it’s really exciting that we have sort of three or four guys in that academy — one-to-four-years that are really pushing the more experienced guys — and we’ve got a hungry group down in the VFL as well; you see Ed Allan perform well yesterday, Jack Buller, Charlie West,” Steele said.
“Guys like this are pushing these guys every week, and it can only help us. And we always talk about the standards and wanting to be an AFL player — standards, whether you’re playing in the AFL or VFL … so I think that really helps.
“For me, I couldn’t have walked into a better situation with all these experienced guys. I just want to be a sponge to them, and anything that I can take off them, and then help our one-to-four-year guys progress.
“We’ve got five new draftees this year, and I just want them to be as much of a sponge as I was when I came in last year — it can only benefit you.”
It’s hard not to be impressed by Steele’s humility and attitude towards helping his teammates in the same way his older peers have rubbed off on him.
Not only does he belong at the level with regards to his talent, but he embodies the importance of ‘role players’ — which premiership sides can’t have enough of.
The Magpies will look to make it three wins on the trot when they face Hawthorn on Thursday night.