Collingwood are the front-runners in the race for Brisbane Lions key forward and free agent Daniel McStay, who is weighing up competing five-year offers. AFL JakeNiallTHEAGE
Sources familiar with McStay’s position say the Magpies are best placed, at this stage, to land McStay, from a field of three or four clubs.Collingwood, who have made plain their wish to attract a key forward, have offered McStay a five-year deal worth close to $600,000 a season.
But there is a significant complication for Collingwood if – and only if – star midfielder Jordan De Goey leaves the Magpies as a restricted free agent.In the event that De Goey exercised his rights as a free agent and went to another club, Collingwood’s compensation draft pick – potentially a first-round pick if he is able to get a significant contract – would be compromised; the Magpies would no longer gain a first- or end-of-first-round choice.
The five-year offers for McStay, who is not a front-line key forward in the AFL and has benefited from playing alongside Joe Daniher in 2021 and 2022, are a measure of the scarcity of key forwards in the market.Collingwood have relied heavily on gallant forward Brody Mihocek, who has been an exceptional pick-up since he was recruited as a key defender from VFL club Port Melbourne and been their most reliable avenue to goal over the past three seasons.