Collingwood champion Steele Sidebottom is expected to announce his retirement before the end of the season.
The two-time premiership great has played 370 games in 18 years at the Magpies and had been in good form early this year, having come off a stellar season in 2025.
But patchy form since his 31-disposal effort against GWS in Round 3 has pointed towards a potential end of the road for the 35-year-old.
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Sidebottom’s likely retirement will see him fall short of the extremely rare 400-game mark.
The classy midfielder collected 35 disposals to win last year’s Anzac Day Medal in a performance that wound the clock back, and came seventh in the club’s 2025 best and fairest.
“Exiting champions in the right way is always delicate,” Tom Morris told 7NEWS Melbourne on Wednesday. “But Steele Sidebottom is a realist and those who know him best say he won’t go out kicking and screaming. “And Collingwood is privately comfortable with him retiring as well, which tells us they also believe it’s time but are leaving it up to the35 year old to make the call for now. “This retirement call will be formalised in the next few weeks and the 2x premiership player will be celebrated on the way out.”
The futures of fellow veterans Scott Pendlebury (38) and Jeremy Howe (36) remain unclear, but it never appeared likely that all three would go on into 2027, given the Pies’ already ageing list.
Even two of the three going on would seem a surprise, but Howe and Pendlebury remain key contributors to the senior team and may yet sign extensions.
“Both the club and Pendlebury are yet to inform each other of their intentions for 2027, with key conversations set to take place in the next fortnight,” Morris added. “And if I had to pick one now, I reckon Collingwood is keen for Howe to play on next year.”
Brisbane star Lachie Neale is expected to come in as an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year and will provide much needed support for Nick Daicos in the midfield, but he turns 34 next year and only bumps up the average age.
Jamie Elliott will turn 34 next month and is currently sidelined with an ACL injury, but has a contract for next year.
Pendlebury, who has long maintained he won’t make a decision on his future until the end of the year, addressed his future on Channel 7 earlier this month.
“I’m not sure, I’ll give you the straight-bat answer,” he said at the time.
“I’m enjoying my footy, take it day by day.
“I haven’t actually thought about it to be fair. I think the last few years, I’ve gone in with the mindset of just enjoying my footy, have fun.
“We’ve won four in a row and we’re building some momentum, so I’m excited by that.”
