Why Collingwood should start preparing for 2025 as their season slips away

David King firmly believes that 2024 is now a write-off for Collingwood.

The reigning premiers lost their fourth straight game on Saturday, going down 133-67 to Hawthorn at the MCG - the biggest loss in Craig McRae’s reign as coach.

With the side now sitting 13th and needing to win at the very least three of their remaining five games, King can’t see them even playing finals footy let alone contending for the flag.

King compared Collingwood in 2023 when run and dash was such a highlight of their game to now and he also questioned the real match fitness of some of their bigger names who have struggled with injury in 2024 including Jordan De Goey.

“Yeah, it all looks too hard (for them to contend in 2024),” King told SEN Whateley.

“I showed some vision last night (on Fox Footy’s First Crack) of last year and their ability to organise a wave run and then drop in and out of the same wave.

“So if it doesn't quite work, if the first-hand ball doesn't quite hit the target, then they sort of spin around, correct again and go again (but that is not there this year).

“The words of Craig McRae … it's one thing to hear people, and it’s another thing to listen.

“He said, ‘There’s a big difference between being fit to play and fit to perform’. I reckon they've got a lot of players that are fit to play, but I don't know if they're fit to perform.

“I don't know if Jordan De Goey is fit to perform and rip a game to shreds. I really don't.

“I just feel like they’ve lost that edge, that preparedness to dare and run and go.

“If it’s a decision, ‘Should I go? Should I wait?’, then it’s over. They’ve lost that for now.”

With 2024 slipping away each week, King thinks that Collingwood should consider focusing on 2025 right now for one last crack at winning another premiership with this group.

If he were the Magpies, he’d consider sending any player that needs surgery under the knife now so that they’re prepared for a huge pre-season to make a tilt at contending next campaign.

“Can they get that back next year? Probably,” King said.

“I looked at John Longmire talking about this four or five years ago, he said, ‘Look, we could probably limp into seventh or eighth, but we're really not doing anything. Let’s put the guys out that need an operation. Let's set everything for the next season, have a quality pre-season and go’.

“I think that's almost the discussion at Collingwood now.

“If De Goey is not right, what’s the point? If there's surgery required for a few, get it done.

“That's what I'd be looking at and setting for next year because they've got an ageing list, so they need every post to be a winner heading into next year if they are to have one more tilt with this group.”

Collingwood will be desperate to win when they face 18th-placed Richmond at the MCG on Sunday afternoon.