Lachie Schultz, who joined Collingwood from the Dockers in a surprise trade, says he feels “at home” with the Magpies and is looking forward to success with the reigning premiers.
Schultz, 25, stunned Fremantle with his request to relocate to Victoria at the start of the trade period last month, after foregoing free agency at the end of 2021 to commit to the Dockers.
Following the move, the pressure forward, who scored 63 goals in the 2022-23 seasons, said he was excited to be closer to friends and family in Melbourne.
Schultz is from Moama, near Melbourne, and played in the VFL for Williamstown before being drafted by the Dockers as a 21-year-old in 2018.
“This is home for me – to be able to get home to friends and family, and my partner Maddie is also from here, so for us both to be able to come home is a great opportunity,” Schultz said during a press conference on Friday.
“It feels very cool, a little surreal, but it’s a privilege, and I’m very happy to be here.”
“It’s a fantastic club with a fantastic history… It’s an exciting time to be a part of the club, and obviously the fan base is the best in the AFL and the most passionate in the AFL, so that was a huge incentive to come across.”
Schultz said Fremantle’s semi-final loss to Collingwood in 2022 stuck with him after witnessing the Magpies’ most fanatical and one-sided crowd in a packed MCG.
“I remember the Collingwood chant really clearly, there was about 93,000 people (there) and 92,000 were Collingwood fans,” he told reporters.
“The brand of footy the Pies play, I’m pretty excited to be involved, I’m really looking forward to it.”
Schultz was traveling in Tanzania at the time of his trade and did not learn of the move until hours later.
After the departures of Jack Ginnivan (Hawthorn) and Taylor Adams (Sydney) during the trade period, he is expected to slot straight into the Magpies’ forward line.
“(I will) try and bring my brand to the forward line and hopefully have an impact straight away,” Schultz said in a statement.
“I base my game on my pressure; I believe it’s where everything begins, and it’s something I can control the entire time.”
“If I can have a good pressure game … it sets me up with everything else, the offensive side comes from that.”
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