"I would've stayed": Hogan reflects on GWS exit

Collingwood’s new recruit Jesse Hogan has spoken about his departure from the Giants, expressing that the move has come as a bit of a surprise.

Two years after winning the Coleman Medal, Hogan finds himself in the black and white stripes of Collingwood after being traded by GWS for a fourth-round pick at the start of this year’s Trade Period.

This was despite Giants coach Adam Kingsley saying back in April that the club wanted to keep him.

Hogan admits he wouldn’t have believed it at the start of the season if someone told him he would leave GWS in 2026.

But now that the deal is complete, he is excited to play for Collingwood in 2027.

“If you were to tell me probably six to eight months ago that this was gonna happen, I probably would've laughed, to be honest,” Hogan told SEN’s The Run Home with Andy and Gazey.

“But it's a part of the industry, I guess; it can change pretty quick.

“I was pretty set to try and finish my career at the Giants.

“But for one reason or another, and the way the club was looking to go forward, they made a decision to go another route, and it's landed me at the Pies.

“Ideally, I would've stayed, but at the same time, the second I kind of got my head around moving to Collingwood, just really excited (about it).

Having signed a two-year contract with the Pies, the 31-year-old will be hopeful of staying fit throughout the whole season, having only played nine games this season.

But in a new environment and with new teammates, the key forward believes that this is the motivation he needs to show his talents off.

“Whenever you move to a new environment, and you have to meet new players and a new game plan, you kind of wanna rock up in really good shape and show what you can do,” he explained.

“I think as my career's gone on, I've actually gotten a bit better, and this year was a bit unfortunate with injuries and missing a lot of the preseason.

“But I think if I tick all the boxes and do all the recovery stuff, it's all going to sound very boring and cliché, but it kind of is that simple.

“So just have a really big preseason, feel good, meet the boys, earn the respect and put your head down, bum up type set-up, and the rest takes care of itself.

“I definitely think I've got two, three, four more years of really good footy in front of me. I just need to tick each box as it comes and not think too far ahead.”

Hogan joins dual Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale as the Magpies’ latest additions to their list.

The club is also considering a potential play for Richmond premiership player Jayden Short.

The Trade Period concludes on October 14.