Collingwood trade recruit Lachie Schultz hasn’t exactly set the world on fire since moving across from Fremantle in the off-season.
The Pies gave up a future first-round pick and another later pick for the small forward in the trade period, but he’s yet to deliver on that substantial price from six games so far.
Even though Schultz has kicked seven goals from six games, his averages in disposals, marks, goals, tackles and inside 50s are all down from his 2023 campaign with Fremantle.
Jenkins doesn’t think he’s in danger of losing his spot in the side’s starting 22 though and urged the Pies to stick it out with their new forward option.
“He’s been sub-par, but it’s not (a big day for him yet),” Jenkins said on SEN Breakfast.
“I think when you make a commitment to someone of that nature, I think you need to stick it out.
“He doesn't stand out for dazzling, but it's not always smooth sailing and that linear progress when you walk straight into a new team.
“I thought he would be a really impactful player for them straight away, but they weren't playing very well straight away either.
“Hopefully as their form improves, he'll continue to get better.”
Jenkins added that he thinks nothing would be achieved by demoting Schultz to the VFL and he expects the 26-year-old to improve the more he learns Collingwood’s system throughout the year.
“He hasn't been able to find the ball that much, that’s what's probably surprised me,” Jenkins said.
“I thought he might have been that Tom Papley type, 15 or 16 disposals and 1.5 goals a game.
“The goals have been there and some have been sort of shared around from teammates and that's great.
“But they've made a commitment to him long-term, he signed a long-term contract, nothing’s achieved by not playing him or putting him under pressure.
“I think that the conversation would be, ‘Let's keep teaching him during the week how we play and how we see you fitting in our team and hopefully we see progress from week to week’.
“If he's doing things you're not happy with, that's different, but he's just not getting the absolute impact and outcome that he wants and they want, then you just keep working on it.”
Schultz has been named to start on a half-forward flank for Thursday’s Anzac Day clash against Essendon at the MCG.
