Lachie Schultz, Fremantle Dockers, return home to Victoria, Collingwood Magpies, go home factor, analysis, Jack Ginnivan

Collingwood secured a commercial “steal” by securing Docker Lachie Schultz, Fox Footy’s David King believes, as the reigning premiers sent a warning to the rest of the competition.

The Magpies used the pick they got last week in Sydney for Taylor Adams to send to Fremantle – then added their future first-round pick as well.

While the Dockers will bank on a slide at Collingwood in 2024, King believes the deal actually favors the Pies.

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“How many key attackers actually won a final this year? It was the little machines that really did the job,” he said on Trading day.

“I think it’s a good deal – pick 34. Speculative pick. First round next year – who knows what that could be. The Pies hope it will be the 18th or 19th again (if they finish top of the table).

“Not many of us would have them outside of the top four sitting here right now.

“If (Schultz) costs you 15 to 20 next year, that’s a good deal for me.”

King described Schultz as an “impact player” and “standard setter” who was “hard to find” in the AFL.

“They forced the competition to improve by chasing what is already the best,” he said.

Journalist Jon Ralph acknowledged that apart from Sydney, Collingwood’s rivals had yet to weather this trade period.

The likes of Brisbane, Melbourne, Carlton and GWS are yet to target or land a big fish to lift them in the 2024 season.

“Richmond didn’t do anything, St Kilda tinkered around the edges,” he said.

“Adelaide and Fremantle will lose players.

“Melbourne loses Grundy. Clayton Oliver’s public issues emerge.

“Schultz is a triple threat… he scores goals and Collingwood fans will fall in love with his tackling.

“He’s a junkyard dog. He does it well – he’s not an absolute megastar, but he’s going to add to that Collingwood forward line in a really meaningful way.

But my friend Trading day Panelist Nick Dal Santo was unconvinced by Schultz’s impact in a small, already stacked Collingwood forward line.

“You talk to anyone in Fremantle and ask ‘who played a central role in your play?’, and that man’s name comes up, as does (Sam) Switkowski. They’re not big names , but they play their role every week and are absolutely essential to the success of the team,” he said.

“So where does this fit into Collingwood?

“I don’t think they’re desperate for that style of player – but it’s good to have him more than not having him at all.

“There will be dominoes that will have to move depending on the hierarchy in the Pies.

“I don’t know how that dynamic works.

“Schultz played 90 games and 101 goals, a little more than one goal per game. But so did (Beau) McCreery, so did (Jack) Ginnivan and so did Bobby Hill for their careers, so it’s not like they’re desperate for that player to come and hit the scoreboard and put some pressure on. They already have these players.

“I will be intrigued by the order and how many of them are playing at any given time. I don’t think you can play all four.