Collingwood’s faltering run has left their season hanging by a thread, and Kane Cornes believes a loss to Adelaide on Saturday night would end their premiership dream.
The Magpies have dropped four of their past five games, with defensive frailties compounding the absence of veteran Jeremy Howe. Their slip has left them vulnerable to falling out of the top four, with five teams breathing down their neck.
Cornes questions future beyond 2025
Speaking on SEN Fireball, Cornes raised alarm bells not just about this September but about the club’s direction for years to come.
“Is it over for Collingwood if they don’t win on Saturday night? Is their season done? And the further question to that is, is the next five years done if this season is done? That’s my belief. I think they are all in for this year, their whole focus has been on 2025, and if it doesn’t work out, there is a whole level of pain coming from this playing list that I don’t think they’re prepared for.”
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With an average age of 28.7, nearly two years older than the next oldest AFL list, and stars like Scott Pendlebury (37), Steele Sidebottom (34) and Jamie Elliott (33) nearing the end, Collingwood’s ability to refresh has been questioned.
Co-host David King, however, argued that the size of the club would help attract talent. “I think they’ll be able to reload, because they’re Collingwood. There’s a lure to want to go and play for Collingwood, because they’re one of the big clubs in the competition,” he said.
But both agreed that defeat against the ladder-leading Crows would be a hammer blow. Cornes was blunt: “I think they’re cooked now. There are too many spot fires in their game to be solved with two weeks left in the season.”