CRAIG McRae has been looking for a way to let them play. Charlie West would have played against Fremantle if not for a niggle. Oscar Steene was the carryover emergency on King's Birthday. And 2022 first-round pick Harry DeMattia has been in the squad twice. All are hunting debuts. 

Collingwood banked a sixth straight win on Saturday night to move six points clear on top of the ladder – and three games inside the top four – with nine games to play before the end of the home and away season.  

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The Magpies were the oldest (28.5 years) team by far across the first half of the season – two full years older than the next oldest in Geelong – and are all-in on a second flag under McRae, making it hard to expose youth, especially after adding Dan Houston, Harry Perryman and Tim Membrey to the team last October.  

Aside from Nick Daicos, who is 22, Ned Long is the only player under 24 who is a permanent fixture. The 22-year-old has played every game this year, while Ed Allan has played eight times in 2025, showing glimpses of why the 20-year-old was selected at pick No.19 in 2022.

Collingwood had six debutants in 2024, but four were low-cost mature-age recruits – Charlie Dean, Lachie Sullivan, Joe Richards and Wil Parker – along with Tew Jiath and Allan. This year, Will Hayes is the only player to debut for the premiership favourite. 

The Magpies have only used 31 players in 2025 – nine have played every game, five more have only missed one – the second fewest in the AFL behind Geelong with 30. 

So how does the match committee inside the AIA Centre start rewarding VFL form this winter? Can they expose some youth, while managing some elder statesmen? 

Brayden Maynard is expected to return against West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Saturday night, while Beau McCreery is set for a stint on the sidelines with a hamstring strain. 

On Saturday night, McRae said it will be tough to deprive West of a debut against the Eagles in round 16, after the 19-year-old slotted six goals against Sandringham in the VFL, including the winner after the siren.

"I must admit, his magnet was really close this week. I didn't tell him, but now it's going to be really hard to keep him out," McRae said after the 34-point win over St Kilda. 

"I'm rapt for him: a 19-year-old kid playing VFL, kicking a goal after the siren. We'll celebrate that first thing Monday morning when we get the team in. He looks like he's going to be hard to leave out next week.”

West travelled to Perth in round nine and Hayden Skipworth conceded publicly that Collingwood intended to play him against the Dockers, but some lingering plantar fasciitis forced it to hold him back. McRae wants to set players up to succeed, not expose them before they are ready. Or, in this case, not able to perform. 

They haven't found room for West since then, even without Dan McStay for six weeks. The South Australian has kicked 24 goals from 10 VFL appearances, including five hauls of 3+ in his first season at the club. The latest was celebrated internally on Monday morning. 

With Tom De Koning, Jarrod Witts, Luke Jackson and Toby Nankervis to come in July, Steene should come under consideration against the Eagles. Matt Flynn and Bailey Williams have both shared the ruck responsibility for Andrew McQualter. Darcy Cameron hasn't missed a game and could benefit from a break at some stage in the back end of the season, if it's not this weekend coming off a bye in round 14. 

Collingwood has run a load management plan this year, like NBA and English Premier League teams. It left four players – Scott Pendlebury, Brody Mihocek, Jordan De Goey and Maynard – home when it travelled to play the Dockers at Optus Stadium in round nine, a week after Jeremy Howe was managed against the Cats ahead of the trip west. 

The Magpies have two more trips to come before the end of the home and season, starting with a Friday night fixture against Gold Coast at People First Stadium in round 18, before they travel to Adelaide to play the Crows in round 23. 

"At some stage, I'd like to get Charlie and Oscar, and these guys, opportunities," McRae told reporters at a press conference last Thursday when asked about rewarding West, Steene and DeMattia. 

"I think it would be good for us and good for them. I think it would make us look a bit different and have a different type of energy. This is a long year, there are 10 games to go, you've got to get that balance right. I want to keep growing."

DeMattia has played 24 VFL games since being selected late on night one of the 2023 Telstra AFL Draft with pick No.25. The Victorian has been exposed to more midfield minutes across the past six games, averaging 27.5 disposals in that time to put his hand up for a shot. He was an emergency in rounds 10 and 11. 

Jordan De Goey is at least another fortnight away from being ready to play, with Collingwood expecting to bring the star back via the VFL after a nightmare injury run since the 2023 Grand Final. At 12-2, there is no rush. They need the box office star ready by September, not July.

Brownlow medallist Tom Mitchell is also fighting for a spot back in this side after recovering from a debilitating foot injury. The 2023 premiership midfielder was in the 26 against St Kilda, as he was before the bye on King's Birthday. The veteran is out of contract and also fighting for his career in the closing months of 2025. 

Hayes was the carryover emergency on the weekend and has played two games for the Magpies since being selected at pick No.56 last November. 

Collingwood has more depth than ever before under McRae. It might be time to test it out across the next month or two.