Top-rated key forward: Should Pie be considered for All-Australian?

Is Collingwood’s Dan McStay racing into All-Australian calculations?

Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne thinks the Magpie is a name worth considering after a superb back half of the 2026 home and away season.

As revealed by Hoyne, McStay has been the highest-rated key forward on Champion Data’s rating system over the last 12 games. In that period, the Magpie has kicked 25 goals to go with 45 marks.

His best two-game stretch has come in the last fortnight, with McStay kicking five goals to go with nine tackles in the loss to Geelong before kicking 3.2 to go with 20 disposals and 15 score involvements in the win over West Coast.

That recent form has seen him rated as a top-seven player in the AFL across the last six weeks.

While Hoyne isn’t sure whether selectors will honour McStay with an All-Australian squad position, he’d have the Magpie as second-picked in that group after Nick Daicos.

“Who is the number one rated key forward since Round 10?” Hoyne asked on SEN Sportsday.

“It is Dan McStay… he’s in absolutely career-best form. 

“How good was his performance on the weekend against West Coast? 15 score involvements and 15 contested possessions as a key forward is unheard of.

“We’re getting close to All-Australian season and McStay being in career best form, he’s the number seven highest rated player in the competition overall in the last six weeks, only Nick Daicos is higher-rated at Collingwood than he is.

“When you’re looking at the key forward posts for All-Australian, this feels like a year where it’s really hard and not so obvious. 

“I would have Charlie (Curnow) in there… but alongside (who)?

“Just a bit of credit there to Dan McStay and we’ll see if he gets in the squad or not; I’m not sure he will.

“I’d pick Dan McStay (to get in the squad over Billy Frampton) if it were up to me.”

McStay will hope to keep his brilliant form going when the Magpies face the Hawks at the MCG on Saturday night.