Collingwood’s big 2023 off-season move for ex-Fremantle forward Lachie Schultz has come under fire, with the premiers staring down the very real scenario of giving away a top-10 pick.

The Magpies gambled on their 2024 fortunes when they traded away pick 34 plus their future first-round pick in exchange for Schultz in the most recent trade period.

With most of the AFL world expecting the Magpies to push for the top four again, this trade valued Schultz at roughly pick 8, according to the AFL Draft Value Index – a high price but one they were willing to pay, if they were handing over something like pick 16.

But Collingwood currently sits 12th on the ladder and, with poor form and a tough remaining draw, could realistically finish in the bottom six.

As it stands they will hand Fremantle the No.7 pick, with the overall trade then valuing Schultz as roughly pick 4, according to the AFL Draft Value Index.

Current Lachie Schultz trade details

COLLINGWOOD gets Lachie Schultz

FREMANTLE gets Pick 7 (2024) and Pick 34 (2023)

Pick 34 was on-traded to Richmond and then West Coast, used by the Eagles on Clay Hall

“The trade that they made to get Lachie Schultz in, which I supported at the time, I felt this was gonna be an excellent recruit,” Kane Cornes said on Nine’s Footy Classified.

“But you look at it six months down the track, you go, well this has been a disaster really. And they let Ginnivan go.

“Ginnivan’s about to turn 22 at the end of the year, Schultz is gonna be 27, and Ginnivan is producing far greater impact in pretty much every stat … he’s been a far more impactful player.”

Cornes is not quite correct on the players’ 2024 production, with Schultz ahead on the all-encompassing AFL Player Ratings metric and producing more goals, tackles and pressure acts per game.