Cornes' self-admission over "beautiful" Magpie form

Kane Cornes has admitted he missed the mark on Collingwood during the pre-season after he believed they would win less than 14 games for the year.

Craig McRae’s side generated plenty of discussion across the summer and pre-season after they opted to take 10 players into 2025 aged 30 or over and traded away another first-round pick for Dan Houston.

As a result, Cornes believed the Pies would miss the eight, saying their depth could be exposed. However recent wins against Hawthorn and North Melbourne have taken the Pies to a 10-2 record and top spot, proving him wrong.

“I’ve just got to really load myself in the gun for having Collingwood under 13 and a half (wins), they are at 10,” Cornes told SEN's Fireball.

“This is what I said, 'I think they miss the eight, I like their best 22 but if the older injury-prone players get injured, I think their depth will be exposed like few others'.

“Well, their depth has been exposed and there’s been no issues, the only thing maybe it’s a fraction early to be playing this well in the season.

“From what I saw last week just sitting back on my annual leave, they blew my socks off with that performance last week.

“That was a joy to watch, it was beautiful.”

Collingwood will be hoping to solidify their spot on top of the ladder when they take on Melbourne in a blockbuster King’s Birthday clash on Monday at the MCG.