A career-best season from Collingwood favourite Jamie Elliott, with 52 goals in a top-four side … but no All Australian…

A career-best season from Collingwood favourite Jamie Elliott, with 52 goals in a top-four side … but no All Australian…

A career-best season from Collingwood favourite Jamie Elliott, with 52 goals in a top-four side … but no All Australian

Collingwood forward Jamie Elliott has long been one of the most beloved figures at the club. Known for his high-flying marks, clutch finishing and resilience through injuries, Elliott has built a reputation as a big-moment player. Yet in 2025, when the 32-year-old finally produced his career-best season statistically, his omission from the All Australian squad has left fans and pundits alike scratching their heads.

Elliott finished the home-and-away season with 52 goals — the most he has ever kicked in a single campaign. It was also the highest tally among small-to-mid forwards across the league. More importantly, those goals came in a Collingwood side that secured a top-four finish, underlining his contribution to their success. Time and again, Elliott delivered in crunch moments: a bag of five against Carlton in Round 12, the sealer against Sydney in Round 18, and a four-goal haul in a soggy showdown with Adelaide that kept the Magpies’ momentum rolling.

Despite all this, Elliott was overlooked when the All Australian selectors announced their final 22. The forward line, stacked with names like Charlie Curnow, Toby Greene and Isaac Heeney, left little room for a veteran who has quietly pieced together his most consistent and damaging year. For many Collingwood supporters, the omission feels like an injustice, not only to Elliott’s form but also to the role he has played in keeping the Magpies in the premiership frame.

The snub raises broader questions about the All Australian selection process. Too often, the side is criticised for favouring reputation, midfielders pushed forward, or glamour players from bigger markets. Elliott’s season was built on efficiency, clutch scoring, and impact — areas often harder to measure than raw disposal numbers or highlight-reel dominance. Yet anyone who watched Collingwood’s run this year knows how vital “Billy” was. His forward pressure, ability to win one-on-one contests, and deadeye set-shot kicking all became trademarks of 2025.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae has been quick to praise his star forward, calling Elliott’s year “a reward for persistence and resilience.” Few players have endured the injury setbacks that Elliott has: back issues, ankle reconstructions, hamstring tears. At various points, it seemed his career might never reach the heights that fans dreamed of. But this season has been proof that patience pays off — and that Elliott still belongs among the elite.

Perhaps fittingly, Elliott himself has brushed off the disappointment. Speaking after the squad announcement, he noted, “I’ve never played the game for individual accolades. I just want to win games for this club.” That humility is part of what makes him so adored by the Magpie Army.

In a year where All Australian selectors overlooked him, Elliott may yet have the last laugh. Finals loom, and if history is anything to go by, the Collingwood No. 5 has a knack for writing his own scripts when the stakes are highest. For the Magpies, his 52-goal season is already more valuable than any blazer.