Collingwood’s bold push to land Ben King by the end of next season may come at a cost, potentially signalling the end of the road for club veterans Mason Cox and Tom Mitchell.
With the Gold Coast forward firmly in their sights, and internal belief reportedly high, the 2023 premiers appear ready to reshape their list around a younger, long-term key target.
Both Cox and Mitchell are off-contract at the end of 2025, and while they’ve been important role players, neither may feature in the Magpies’ future plans if King signs on.
A changing of the guard at the Pies?
WA journalist Ryan Daniels told Triple M over the weekend that Collingwood are “very, very confident” King will be in black and white by next year, despite being contracted at the Suns until the end of 2026.
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“I have it on good authority that Collingwood are very, very confident that this time next year that Ben King will be a Magpie, or very close to it,” Daniels said. “They want him to be the next piece of the puzzle... I think they are super, super confident.”
Should the King deal go through, and with salary cap pressure to manage, senior figures like Mitchell, 31 and in his second season at the club, and Cox, now 33, may be squeezed out. Neither has had the same consistent impact in 2024, and list turnover could be accelerated to make room for a high-profile recruit.
Daniels added: “He’d be on serious money... I reckon Ben King is one of those guys that you’d have a look at.”
If Collingwood are clearing the decks for a new forward leader, Cox and Mitchell may find themselves casualties of a club chasing its next premiership window.