Collingwood vice-captain Steele Sidebottom will not be rejoining the squad for the 2020 finals campaign.

Sidebottom and his partner Alisha welcomed their first child, Matilda, into the world last weekend.

“Steele and Alisha have made a call that is completely understandable and one we wholly support,” Collingwood GM of Football, Geoff Walsh, said.

“Their comfort and security as a family was always the most important consideration.”

As late as this morning the new parents were exploring the possibility of leaving their Melbourne home for a period in quarantine in a northern state or territory, to enable Sidebottom to come back to the program and see out the season.

The two-time Copeland Trophy winner left the campaign for Melbourne on August 25, a day after Collingwood’s round 13 victory over North Melbourne at the Gabba.

However, with a host of logistical and quarantine complexities to negotiate and the uncertainty of finals fixturing, they have opted to remain in Victoria.