With Steele Sidebottom set to exit the Collingwood Magpies after the season, one of Scott Pendlebury and Jeremy Howe also makes sense as Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale is linked to the club
Soon, before the season’s close, Collingwood are expected to announce that their two-time premiership great Steele Sidebottom will retire.
For several weeks, the signs have pointed to Sidebottom finishing at Collingwood this year. After a stellar first half of 2025, when he was close to All-Australian standard, there has been a gradual ebbing of performances on the field for the distinguished 35-year-old.
Sidebottom is said to be comfortable with the prospect of finishing his career, which will fall shy of the 400-game mark (370 now), according to sources familiar with his situation.
The positions of Scott Pendlebury – the AFL’s games record holder and one of Collingwood’s immortals – and the remarkable veteran aerialist Jeremy Howe are yet to settled on by the players or the Magpies as August beckons.
But the most logical scenario is that only one of Pendlebury or Howe will play on at Collingwood in 2027. It’s even conceivable that neither does.
It is open to either of Pendlebury or Howe to either retire or seek to finish their playing days at another club and then (assistant) coach there, as Sam Mitchell did at West Coast in 2017-18. Both have an interest in coaching.
Collingwood recently had a follow-up meeting with Brisbane Lions champion Lachie Neale. That the parties have met more than once can be read as confirmation that the Magpies are genuine frontrunners for the dual Brownlow medallist; they have gone beyond the first date.
To gain Neale means that a midfield spot must be open. The uncertainty around who is coming (Neale, and the longshot of Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters), and who’s retiring is an explanation for Collingwood’s reticence in offering the improved Ed Allan a contract, even though their preference is to retain Allan.
Collingwood’s need to regenerate their list, while remaining in finals contention, means that the exits of veterans has to continue to be staggered. Jamie Elliott, whose knee injury on Pendlebury’s record-breaking day ended his season, is contracted for 2027.
To borrow from Meat Loaf (who performed far worse than any Collingwood player on 2011 grand final day), two out of three (retiring) ain’t bad.
To transition the list and provide opportunities for younger players, the Magpies ideally would keep no more than one of their trio of super veterans, who are 38, 36 (Howe) and 35.
Howe might hold appeal to rival clubs if Collingwood do not wish to continue with him. Until his record-breaker against West Coast, Pendlebury was playing well and often enough for both he and Collingwood to continue their 21-year marriage in 2027.
Early this season, he was even rated inside the top-20 performing AFL players by Champion Data; since then, there’s been some niggles and a dip.
Always quicker of mind than legs, Pendlebury seems to have slowed further lately, albeit his vision and smarts remain exceptional. If he is adamant about playing on, the Magpies would find it difficult to stop him. It’s not easy to diss a statue.
But Pendlebury’s last comment on his future was that he was undecided. “I’m not sure,” he told Seven. “I’m enjoying my footy and taking it day by day.”
In terms of holes and roles at Collingwood, Howe shapes as the one whom the Magpies might need most. They do not have an abundance of tall backs, and with Darcy Moore sidelined, Howe – who retains much of his spring – would afford a level of protection for a backline that has sometimes been compelled to play Brayden Maynard on tall opponents.
Rory Sloane opined on Nine last week that Howe would be an ideal recruit for Essendon, as a veteran and educator of a young backline. One could argue the same of Richmond, who will lose Nathan Broad to West Coast or Gold Coast.
Had Tasmania been entering the AFL a year earlier than 2028, Howe, as a Tassie man, would surely have been in their sights as a foundation leader who’d join their coaching panel after one or two years playing.
Howe, slated to return for this Thursday night’s game in Adelaide, will have options, as will Pendlebury. For the latter, his stature as club and AFL legend is a significant incentive to remain a one-clubber.
The Sherrin is in Collingwood’s court, as much as theirs.
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.
Jake Niall is a Walkley award-winning sports journalist and chief AFL writer for The Age.Connect via X or email.
