What Can Collingwood Expect From Dan McStay This Season?
After enduring two challenging seasons with Collingwood, key forward Dan McStay is ready to play a pivotal role in the Magpies’ ambitions for the 2025 AFL season. Despite a tough start due to injury, including a significant ACL setback, McStay is looking to make a full recovery and deliver the performance that Collingwood fans have been eagerly awaiting. With his arrival in 2022 on a high-profile long-term deal, expectations were high, but injuries have unfortunately delayed his full potential from being realized on the field.
Throughout his 180-game career, McStay has not been one to dominate the goal-scoring charts, having netted 166 goals. His contributions at Collingwood, however, show promise for a greater impact. In his first year with the Magpies, he scored 20 goals across 14 games. After recovering from his injury, McStay returned for five more appearances in which he scored in each game, including two matches where he led the team’s goal-scoring efforts. In total, Collingwood managed to kick 58 goals during this stretch, with McStay contributing a solid portion of those from his forward position.
The season of 2024 saw McStay unable to form a long-term partnership with his fellow forward, Brody Mihocek, due to Mihocek’s own season-ending injury. Despite this, McStay’s previous form alongside Mihocek in the 2023 season, where they combined for 43 goals in 13 games, showed the potential of a dynamic forward duo. McStay’s goal-scoring ability is crucial to Collingwood’s hopes for a successful 2025 campaign, as they aim to recover from a disappointing previous season and push for a return to the top. For McStay to truly become a key figure in the attack, he would need to surpass his personal best of 28 goals, achieved with the Lions in 2021.
Collingwood’s strategy in 2025 could see McStay’s development as a primary forward playing a major role in the team’s success. While the team has historically relied on a strong forward line featuring small forwards like Bobby Hill, Beau McCreery, Lachie Schultz, and Jamie Elliott, McStay’s performance as a high-scoring tall forward could be the key to moving the team from a strong season to a great one. His ability to take on a more prominent role alongside Mihocek could make the difference in securing a spot in the finals, especially as they look to become more dangerous offensively.
To complement McStay’s development, Collingwood strengthened their midfield over the offseason with notable signings such as Daniel Houston and Harry Perryman. Additionally, Tim Membrey, a seasoned forward from St Kilda, has joined the club and could be the missing piece to forming a formidable forward line trio with McStay and Mihocek. Membrey has been a reliable goal-kicker in recent years, regularly scoring 30+ goals in his seasons, and could contribute similarly in 2025. Collingwood fans will get their first glimpse of this new forward setup in February, when the team faces Gold Coast and Brisbane in pre-season matches.
Looking ahead to the start of the 2025 season, Collingwood’s first real test will be against GWS in Round 1, where the Giants’ strong defense will challenge the Magpies’ newly constructed forward line. If McStay can stay fit and perform to his potential, he may become the cornerstone of a more powerful attack, taking Collingwood one step closer to their ultimate goal of premiership glory.
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