As Collingwood crushed the Hawks 16.11 (107) to 8.8 (56) on Friday night, Jamie Elliott, Scott Pendlebury, and Steele Sidebottom stole the show. The Magpies’ list management may force rivals to reconsider. Despite having the oldest average age of any AFL team, Elliott’s most recent five-goal performance for the Magpies has once again demonstrated that rivals Collingwood will not be slowing down this season.
After Collingwood suffered in 2024, coach Craig McRae was only called upon to carry veterans Pendlebury (37) and Sidebottom (34) into the current year. However, the coach remained true to his principles and even elevated Elliott to the position of group leader.
And on Friday, several of the Magpies’ ‘Dad’s Army’ made fun of the younger Hawks team, demonstrating that age is no barrier to this bunch. Collingwood was 28 years and seven months old on average when they faced the Hawks.
Sidebottom returned to the MCG with 27 possessions and two goals after being managed the previous week. During one of these long goals, he tore down the wing. Even though Collingwood great Nick Daicos was once again at the top of his game, forward Elliott was the standout.
On track for a career-best season at 32 years old, Elliott blasted five goals in a player-of-the-match display. This took him equal top of the Coleman Medal sitting alongside Geelong star Jeremy Cameron on 33. Elliott is only six goals short of his career-best tally of 39 in a season, which he achieved back in 2023. And Elliott and Sidebottom’s latest display against a hungry-Hawks outfit have prompted the question over whether team’s will re-evaluate their list management going forward.
Collingwood have stuck by their veterans when their were calls to move some of them on. Calls have grown for Elliott to be offered a two-year deal to keep him at the club and the forward is certainly proving it would be a bargain.
Code Sports reporter Daniel Cherny pointed out Collingwood are asking the question of ‘how old is too old?” with their current crop of veterans pushing the boundaries. This could see a change in how list management is thought out going forward with Sidebottom, Pendleburry and co defying the criticism.
