Jeremy Howe named to return against Brisbane after forearm fracture
Jeremy Howe is set to return for Collingwood against Brisbane after fracturing his left forearm, with the defender due to play his 288th AFL match. The return comes as the 36-year-old reconsiders whether the 2026 season will be his last. Collingwood has named him for Friday night’s Round 24 match at the MCG.
Jeremy Howe named to return against Brisbane after forearm fracture
Howe is expected to line up against the Lions just 22 days after breaking his left forearm. It will be his first appearance since the injury, which occurred against Geelong in Round 21. The Age reported that it is the same arm he broke in six places against Geelong in Round 1, 2023.
Collingwood’s team announcement confirms the defender’s selection for the Friday night clash, while also naming veteran Steele Sidebottom to return after he was a late withdrawal from the previous week’s draw with Hawthorn. Collingwood said Isaac Quaynor will miss the game with a minor glute injury but is expected to be available for the finals campaign.
The match is scheduled for Friday 21 August at 7:40pm AEST at the MCG. Brisbane entered the final round needing a win to secure a top-four place, while Collingwood was already locked into a wildcard spot regardless of the result. AFL.com.au
Why Howe changed his retirement plans
Howe had expected the 2026 season to be his last after 16 years in the AFL. The Age reported that he initially felt reluctant to continue for another season, particularly as he was regularly sore from playing and was seeing close friend Sidebottom prepare to retire.
His form changed that thinking. The report said Howe had felt he had achieved enough, including the 2023 premiership and a career featuring numerous mark-of-the-year contenders, but that his performances led him to reconsider. The available reporting does not establish whether he has made a final decision about playing beyond the current season.
The injury added urgency to his comeback. Howe knew Sidebottom’s retirement was approaching, and after breaking his arm he focused on returning in time to share the remaining matches of their careers at Collingwood. He told The Age that he hoped to be available for six more games, although the number was uncertain at the time.
That possibility now includes the Brisbane match, which would be his 288th AFL appearance. The selection confirms that Collingwood considers him ready to return, but it does not by itself settle whether this will be his final season.
The personal link with Mischa Barwin
Howe’s changing view of retirement has also coincided with an unexpected connection inside Collingwood’s football program. Mischa Barwin, an 18-year-old from Tasmania, was selected by the club’s AFLW team after coming through Howe’s junior club, Dodges Ferry.
Howe told The Age that he had played against Barwin’s father when their clubs, Dodges Ferry and Sorrell, were local rivals. Barwin was due to play her second game for Collingwood’s AFLW side against Fremantle at Victoria Park, giving Howe another link between his early football years and his current club.
For now, the verified position is that the veteran defender has been selected to return against Brisbane after his latest arm injury. His longer-term playing future remains unresolved.