Collingwood drafted eight new players in the National and Rookie Drafts last week.
The Magpies picked up six players inside the top 44 including Oliver Henry (pick 17), Finlay Macrae (19), NGA prospect Reef McInnes (23), Caleb Poulter (30), Liam McMahon (31) and Beau McCreery (44).
They also added Jack Ginnivan and Isaac Chugg as rookies.
Recruiting manager Derek Hine has given some insight into why the Pies selected such players, citing the evolution of the annual list cycle and the support required for the club’s top-line players.
“If you look at the boys we brought in this year in Reef and Caleb in particular, if you look at our list, they would be sitting behind Scotty Pendlebury and Brayden Sier,” he told SEN’s Bob and Andy.
“The decisions we have to make as a footy club is where’s the longevity in Scott? We know Scott is an elite player but what’s next to him? How can we take the pressure off him physically?
“Because it is a pretty brutal game and that’s where it is important for us for boys like Brayden Sier and these sorts of guys, that can actually step up.
“Then we have the younger boys (who we drafted) that are going to be able to come in. It’s sort of like a cycle of evolution in terms of the way that the list goes.
“I look at it like this: you’ve got your established player, then you’ve got your development player and then you’ve got your depth player - the player that you know is only going to be your 5-10 game (per season) player.
“Then you’ve got this development player who can sit in and try to balance those loads and develop them that way.”
Hine further spoke of the new additions and the attributes they will be bringing with them to the Holden Centre.
“Jack Ginnivan and Isaac Chugg have got some serious wheels as has Beau McCreery,” he added.
“Those boys are 180 to 183 (centimetres) which will complement the Caleb Poulters and the Reef McInnes’. Liam is obviously a key forward at 196-197 (centimetres).
“Oliver, he’s a young fella that can swing both ends. That was the key to try to get the balance. I think we sort of got that and now it’s over to the boys and fingers crossed we have some success with them.”
Macrae, McInnes (both Oakleigh Chargers) and McMahon (Northern Knights) are all Melbourne products, Henry arrives from Geelong, Poulter and McCreery have been picked out of the SANFL, while Ginnivan and Chugg are from Bendigo and Launceston respectively.
Hine was asked if the Collingwood recruiters place much importance on where a kid hails from before they draft him.
“Matty Rendell used to spend a lot of it, but I don’t try to take any notice of it,” he said further.
“You just try to back your program and the systems. You just go where the talent is, no matter where it is.
“It doesn’t matter if it’s in Ireland, America, Launceston, Bendigo, wherever. It’s just getting the best talent in.
“I just can’t overemphasise how important it is for the boys, that once they’ve got their opportunity, to take their opportunity.
“There is a high expectation that the guys have to come in and improve on a daily basis. They’re so heavily scrutinised, whether that be right or wrong, and that in itself creates its own pressures.”
The Pies endured a difficult trade period in losing Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi but somewhat offset that by drafting in a haul of quality youngsters.