COLLINGWOOD has added star forward Dan McStay to its leadership group ahead of his third season in black and white, while superstar midfielder Nick Daicos has been elevated to vice-captain in 2025.

Dual All-Australian Darcy Moore will captain Collingwood for the third season after taking over from games-record holder Scott Pendlebury in 2023, while heart-and-soul defender Brayden Maynard will be vice-captain for a second straight year.

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Gun defender Isaac Quaynor has been voted into the leadership group again, while No.1 ruckman Darcy Cameron and veteran forward Jamie Elliott have also been added to the seven-man group with McStay. 

Collingwood completed its leadership process on the club's pre-season camp in Queensland this week, ahead of Thursday night's match simulation against Gold Coast and Brisbane at People First Stadium.

McStay has been limited to just 19 appearances across his first two seasons at the AIA Centre, due to a nightmare injury run that has included a ruptured finger tendon, MCL injury and dreaded ACL tear, but won the respect of the playing group during his recovery from a knee reconstruction last year. 

"I was actually talking to 'Fly' [Craig McRae] about this last night. Last year I probably spent the first part of my rehab really focusing on me and getting myself right,” McStay told AFL.com.au on Wednesday afternoon.

"But then because I felt I was in such a good place I was able to use my strengths to help others and I was able to grow my leadership because everything off-field was going so well. This pre-season I've been enthralled in getting everyone else around me better and be the leader in the forward line along with Jamie. 

"It's the first time I've ever been in any leadership role. I'm incredibly humbled and excited to be recognised by the peers. We've got such a good group of guys that are leading this group to great places. 

"The thing that I've always prided myself on is leadership without a title. I've always just tried to do it in the background and be my complete self, so it's nice to see my peers value me in that position."

McStay made a stunning return from a knee reconstruction, just over seven months after surgery, returning against Hawthorn in round 19 last year and playing five consecutive games, before being put on ice in round 24 when Collingwood's finals chances were completely extinguished. 

The 29-year-old spent the off-season in Australia to build on his finish to last year and has carried the momentum from those five games – he kicked goals in every game, including three against Richmond and took nine marks against Sydney – across a near flawless summer at the AIA Centre.

"To be honest, everyone from the outside probably thought it was a risk (returning ahead of schedule), but inside the four walls, at no stage did we take any risks. I was probably ready a couple of weeks earlier," McStay said.

"I just can't thank the high performance staff enough for the work they put into me, getting my body right and in a position where I was confident enough to go out there and play. 

"Then to take that into this pre-season and not even think about the knee because I'd already played games, I'd already made a successful comeback. This pre-season I just felt like a fully healed, 100 per cent athlete, which was probably the best part about coming back early last year. I'm hoping to take that into this pre-season game and this year."

McStay not only had to endure watching on in 2023 when his new teammates went all the way against Brisbane, a week after he injured his medial collateral ligament in the preliminary final, the Victorian then watched his former teammates salute last September against Sydney.  

"2023 was probably the hardest period of my life, just with the knee. The MCL, then the ACL, missing the Grand Final. That week was really hard for me, obviously," he said.

"You didn't know how who to go for, in terms of having so many mates on both sides. That was part of the reason I wanted to attack my (MCL) rehab the way I did and hopefully get back and help us go back-to-back. It wasn't the case in the end. 

"The drive after watching so many of my friends win the ultimate prize is something that I want to do for myself and for this group, knowing we are still in a position to do it. I think we can achieve great things."

Collingwood lost the first three games of its premiership defence, then recovered by midway through the season, before a four-game losing streak in June and July essentially ended the Magpies' chances of going back-to-back. 

Since then, Craig McRae's squad has added two-time All-Australian half-back Dan Houston from Port Adelaide, free agent Harry Perryman from Greater Western and then Tim Membrey as a delisted free agent. 

The Magpies' forward line should look different in 2025, built around veteran spearhead Brody Mihocek and McStay with Membrey firming for a spot over the pre-season and Mason Cox a regular fixture for a long time. 

McStay and Mihocek have limited game exposure in the same team, but have used the summer to increase their connectivity, alongside Membrey, who wasn't offered another contract by St Kilda despite kicking 30 goals from 19 appearances in 2024.

"The way the three of us have worked together and are trying to find our strengths and the way we can help each other blossom is going to be a beauty this year," he said.

"Tim is such an incredible player. Everyone knows him for his marking ability. He is mid-sized but marks like a key. His ground level work is incredible, he is just so dangerous and incredibly selfless. 

"I think 'Chekkers' (Mihocek) has had to do such a big load of work for the last six or seven years. It might be a chance for him to get a better match-up or however it looks. It might make his game even better. We are looking forward to working hard together and building something special."

Daicos' elevation at just 22 ahead of his fourth season is the next sign the reigning Copeland Trophy winner is a future captain, after being named All-Australian twice in his first three seasons and polling 38 votes in last year's Brownlow Medal.

After seven consecutive years in the leadership group, veteran defender Jeremy Howe opted to step aside from an official leadership positions. 

Collingwood has been based out of Southport Football Club this week and will play two halves against the Suns and Lions on Thursday.