After Collingwood overlooked father-son draft prospect Tom McGuane, Adelaide has made the decision to invite him to train with the club over summer.
The teenager will have the chance to earn a spot on the club’s list via the supplemental selection period.
McGuane was seen as a lock to join the Pies earlier in the year, but in the end, they made the tough call to not even offer him a rookie spot, which they would have had priority access to if they wanted.
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His father Mick McGuane played 152 games for Collingwood between 1987 and 1996, winning two best and fairests and playing in the 1990 premiership.
Mick and Tom McGuane at a Collingwood VFL game. Instagram
He admitted Collingwood’s decision to overlook his son after years in the club’s draft academy “hit like a tonne of bricks”.
“It blindsided Tom. It blindsided me,” Mick McGuane wrote for News Corp in November.
“But my son was inconsolable for hours after receiving the news.
“A love for the black and white stripes was clearly in his veins and he showed it when he attended Collingwood games live or watched them on television at home.”
But now, Tom McGuane has the chance to achieve his AFL dream with the Crows, should he win a list spot in the next few months.
The teenager has touched down in Adelaide to begin training with the club and is excited about the opportunity.
“I can’t wait. I’m super grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to get stuck in,” McGuane told 9News Adelaide.
“I had an interview (with Adelaide) yesterday. Obviously it was a pretty crazy week how it all unfolded. They gave me the opportunity to train over pre-season.
“My ultimate goal is to play AFL footy and I’ll do whatever it takes.
“It was a little bit disappointing (not to get drafted). I was in the mix with a few clubs and didn’t know what was going to happen, so for this opportunity to happen, super happy.
“I’ve had the same mantra, controlling what I can control and my dad’s always told me the harder you work, the luckier you get so I’ve stuck by that.
“There’s always a little bit of that (wanting to prove Collingwood wrong), but I’m always trying to prove myself right. I believe I’ll be good enough at the top level and I’ll stick by that.
“It was tough to take, I wasn’t expecting how it all panned out, but they’re entitled to their opinion. It’s a business and that’s how it panned out, so.”
Tom McGuane at Adelaide airport. Â Nine
A 178cm midfielder, he is rated as a strong ball winner, elite runner and highly intelligent player.
It would mark another notch in the rivalry between Adelaide and Collingwood, following 2025’s Izak Rankine incident and subsequent qualifying final marred by booing.
Clubs with vacant list spots will be able to add players to their list any time between now and March via the supplemental selection period.
Fremantle took this opportunity to add delisted Collingwood ruckman Mason Cox during the week.
West Coast, which was granted four additional rookie list spots by the AFL as part of their concessions, signed three players on Tuesday.
Another delisted Pie in Fin Macrae, former Crow Harry Schoenberg and former Brisbane midfielder Deven Robertson join the Eagles.
Mason Cox looks on during a Collingwood Magpies training session. Daniel Pockett via Getty Images
The Eagles clearly felt adding experienced midfield depth overlooked by other clubs was the best use of their additional list spots.
GWS meanwhile signed veteran Essendon defender Jayden Laverde, after he opted to move on from the Dons.
Among those training at clubs over summer hoping for an AFL lifeline is former Roo and Magpie Jaidyn Stephenson, who will spend the off-season with Port Adelaide after coming out of retirement.
St Kilda has invited the cousin of superstar midfielder Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Tex Wanganeen, to train with the club over summer.
Giving the former Essendon player a chance was reportedly part of negotiations with Wanganeen-Milera as they attempted to keep him at the club.