Collingwood Magpies veteran Steele Sidebottom signs for 17th season

DUAL Collingwood great Steele Sidebottom has officially signed a new contract to play in black and white for a 17th season in 2025.

The 33-year-old will start next season with 331 games and could join a group of just 24 players in VFL/AFL history to reach 350 games at the highest level.

Collingwood games record holder Scott Pendlebury (403 games), who has also signed for 2025, is the only player in the club’s 132-year history to play more games than Sidebottom, who joined Tony Shaw (313) and Gordon Coventry (306) as the 300 player in 2023.

Sidebottom has been one of the most durable players in the League since being selected as a 17-year-old with the no. 11 in the 2008 National Draft, averaging 20.7 games per season in his first 16 years in the AFL.

After a slow start to 2024 in which Sidebottom was kicked out of a game and then got through, the two-time Copeland Trophy winner produced a strong second half of the season to earn another Magpies contract.

“I always wanted to play further. There was a bit of doubt at the start of the year when I didn’t start the year as well as I would have liked. You can doubt yourself sometimes and I had those thoughts but let me finish. The off-season has been good, I want to keep playing as much as I can,” Sidebottom said AFL.com.au after resigning this week.

“At the moment I still think I can contribute, but when I think guys have passed me by and I don’t think I can contribute as much as I would have liked, the club will tell me or the lucky ones will. At the moment, I still feel like I can contribute, so I want to keep playing.”

Sidebottom spent most of his career playing on the wing but was effectively used as a midfielder for a late-season patch before tagging Sydney star Errol Gulden and dual Brownlow medalist Lachie Neale into roles in last rounds. .

During his exit meeting at the AIA Center this week, Collingwood coach Craig McRae discussed the prospect of Sidebottom spending more time as a tagger in 2025.

“I’ve probably played on the wing for a lot of my career. Basically, I needed someone to fill a role. The wing is not too different from the defense, but for me it was a bit of a refresher, which is what we probably needed at that stage. Playing next to each other at the back gave me that spike and kick that I needed at the time,” Sidebottom said.

“I feel like I can play a lot of different roles. I was there for three or four weeks and then I went back to a wing where I played most of my football. Then I ended up as a tagger and loved it. Sometimes outside. on the wing you can feel a bit out of the game running up and down the wing Being in the middle of the ground again, a bit of a kick, you feel part of the game. more than that it was very nice to be back there.

“I really enjoyed (the tagging role). Going forward, it might be something I go to sometimes. There’s definitely a chance I’ll spend more time in that role or there next year, even if it’s just in spurts. I liked it so I hope it happens.”

Sidebottom turns 34 at the start of January and knows the next generation are lining up to take his place. Ed Allan showed why he was taken at the No. 19 in 2022 last Friday and will have more chances next year. Last year’s first-round pick Harry DeMattia hasn’t started yet, but he’s been close for the past two weeks. Tew Jiath and Jakob Ryan each had one opportunity and will be after more in 2025.

The 2018 All-Australian has not played in the VFL since his debut season in 2009, but is set to spend time in the reserves next year if the above names pass him over.

“To be honest, I’m certainly not against it,” he said. “I want the football club to be in a good position when I finish and for that to happen I need guys to start coming through. If there are guys coming through who deserve the place more than me , me” For that, if I have to play games in the VFL, I want the club to do well and if that means I’m in the VFL.

Collingwood have now re-signed all their veterans out of contract until 2025 and Will Hoskin-Elliott also penned a new deal this week after Jeremy Howe sparked an extension earlier this month.

The Magpies will enter 2025 with nine players over the age of 30, including Jack Crisp, Tom Mitchell, Jamie Elliott, Mason Cox and Brody Mihocek, in a clear sign to Sidebottom that the club believe they can come back next year and compete for the 17th term of prime minister. .

“That’s what I believe and I hope that everyone else believes that at the football club as well,” he said.

“I feel like I’m always pretty optimistic. Obviously, this year didn’t go to plan, but sitting here right now, I think it’s good enough to suit anyone.

“I’m confident that a full pre-season around the world, we can get back to playing our best football more often.”