Collingwood has named Mitch Podhajski for his Afl debut against Melbourne in Monday’s Big Freeze 12 match at the MCG, one of three inclusions for the game. Harry Perryman is back from a hamstring injury, Jack Buller returns to the line-up and Steele Sidebottom has been managed.
The game will be played on Monday at 3:15pm AEST, with Collingwood trying to hold its shape while adding a first-gamer and a returning defender at the same time. The selection changes also leave Wil Parker and Ned Long on the outer, with both named among the emergencies alongside Sam Swadling.
Podhajski’s call-up comes only days after Collingwood took him with pick 17 in the 2026 Telstra Mid-Season Rookie Draft, a move that opened the door after Jamie Elliott’s Round 11 knee injury created a list spot. The 27-year-old made an immediate case last Saturday in his first VFL appearance for Collingwood against Footscray, finishing with 10 disposals, seven tackles and 2.4.
His rise has been swift even by modern standards. Podhajski finished second in last year’s Frosty Miller Medal with 54 goals and is leading the state league this season with 29 goals in nine games, numbers that helped push him into senior consideration as Collingwood looked for forward cover.
Buller’s inclusion also carries some weight. The 199cm forward is set for his sixth Afl match of 2026 after crossing from the Sydney Swans in the 2025 trade period, and he has kicked six goals from two VFL appearances since his last senior outing in Round 10, the six-point loss to Sydney. Perryman’s return follows a hamstring layoff that began after the Round 8 draw with Hawthorn, giving Collingwood another option as it reshapes the side for a holiday Monday crowd.
How the Magpies use that mix will matter as much as the names themselves. Sidebottom’s managed workload removes one experienced body from the midfield rotation, while Podhajski’s debut and Perryman’s return add pressure on the balance of a side that now has to fit fresh legs around a short turnaround into one of the round’s most watched games. The match will be shown live on Channel 7, 7plus, Fox Footy and Kayo Sports, and the first answer comes at the opening bounce.
