The forward who has returned to form and has the potential to be the driving force behind Collingwood’s comeback to contention

Collingwood forward Lachie Schultz has returned to career-best form for the Magpies to start the season, looking like the player who was plucked from Fremantle 18 months ago. The 178cm goalsneak arrived from the Dockers at the cessation of the 2023 season, having sought a move back to Victoria despite being under contract. The Magpies paid a premium for the ex-Williamstown sharpshooter, who was viewed as a stellar recruit following his move across the Nullarbor and Collingwood’s premiership run. Schultz’s form took a hit in what was an arduous 2024 for Collingwood, who fell short of a September series with a mid-tier attacking contingent. While the attention turned to off-season additions Dan Houston and Harry Perryman to be the catalysts in lifting Collingwood back into premiership contention this year, Schultz could prove to be a difference maker in his second season with the Magpies. Schultz’s front-half pressure has been a key area the former Docker has lifted to start his second season in the black and white, averaging a career-best six tackles per game – good for first overall for tackles among forwards in the competition. The 27-year-old has recorded at least seven tackles in three of his four games to commence the current campaign, having only managed that feat in two of his 20 appearances last year. Schultz’s numbers for an attacking ground-level threat have begun to match or surpass the figures he held in his last year with Fremantle, with the Docker-turned-Magpie now presenting as the player Collingwood acquired in exchange for a first-round pick. As well as his tackle count, Schultz is averaging career-best numbers for score involvements, tackles inside 50, contested possessions marks and marks inside 50, while his disposal and goal means are rivalling his strong 2023 campaign. He has also reached 17 or more disposals in his past three games, having managed that feat once last year after doing so 11 times in his last year in Western Australia. 2023 (Last year at Fremantle) 2024 (First year at Collingwood) 2025 (Current season) Disposals 15.9 12.2 15.5 Goals 1.4 1.2 1.3 Score Involvements 5.5 4.8 6.3 Tackles 4.1 3.8 6.0 Tackles Inside 50 1.8 1.7 3.0 Contested Possessions 5.5 4.1 6.0 Clearances 0.9 0.8 1.3 Marks 4.3 3.1 5.8 Marks Inside 50 1.2 1.4 2.5 Schultz was among the Magies’ best in their Round 3 win over the Western Bulldogs and backed up that performance on Thursday night in the 17-point win over Carlton, acknowledged as the best-afield in taking out the Richard Pratt Medal. “It was a Lachie sort of night. (The conditions) were messy and slippery. You just watch the chase. He chases for 150 metres. He doesn’t quite get there but he never gives up,” Collingwood coach Craig McRae said of Schultz’s latest performance. “You saw the reaction of our players when he got the award, what he means to our group and what he does for us. “He puts his body on the line regularly and gets his body in good positions. He got rewarded on the scoreboard and got us going at really important times.” The balance provided from Collingwood’s quartet of small forwards – Schultz, Bobby Hill, Beau McCreery and Jamie Elliott – has proven fruitful so far in 2025, while the Magpies have also managed to secure further avenues to goal across their first four games. Collingwood have managed 16 separate goalkickers, half of which have booted between three and six majors for the season. Off-season recruit Tim Membrey leads the way with half a dozen to his name after crossing from St Kilda, while Schultz, Hill, Elliott and Brody Mihocek narrowly trail with five each. Dan McStay rounds out the top six goalkickers, all of which being forwards. McRae’s squad had heavily relied on midfield assets to help with the goalkickers column last year, with Nick Daicos and Patrick Lipinski two of only six Magpies players with at least 18 goals in 2024.