“It’s a great culture,” Schultz said in his first press conference for the Pies on Monday.
“Obviously they’ve come off a terrific year and it’s just a privilege to be involved in something so special. Hopefully we can continue that run and I’m sure we will.
“I’m confident the boys are just as hungry as they were last year, so I’m keen to get stuck into it.
“They’ve been really, really good, they’ve welcomed me with open arms and, as I said, I’m loving every minute.”
Having been picked up by Fremantle from VFL club Williamstown, Schultz requested a trade from the Dockers following the conclusion of the 2023 season with a year remaining on his contract.
He told reporters the trade happened within a short space of time, with he and his partner Maddie coming to the decision to move home for personal reasons.
“It (the trade) did happen pretty quickly — it all happened over a weekend,” he said.
“Me and my partner were back home and we decided — we had personal things happen in the past 12 months that I don’t need to go into — but we got back home and decided now was the time to come home, and if the opportunity arose, we would go after it. And it did.
“I’m absolutely privileged to have the best team in the comp sort of come after me, and at the same time I’m so thankful for my time at Freo, and left on really good terms with the club and the boys.
“I loved every minute I had there, but I’m just as excited to start a new chapter.”
Despite interest from other clubs, Schultz admitted he was set on making the move to Collingwood if the move home was to materialise.
“Collingwood was probably the one that we really went after, and they came after us as well,” he said.
“There was discussions elsewhere, but at the same time I was pretty set on coming to the Pies after the success they’ve had, and it’s such a good club to come home to. It was fully intentional to come home, and then the opportunity came from that.”
Since moving back to Victoria from Western Australia, the local lad has returned home to the twin towns multiple times, which he described as the biggest benefit of his trade to Collingwood.
“I’ve been (home) plenty of times. I think that’s one of the benefits, the biggest benefit, really,” he said.
“My family is still there, my partner’s family is there, it’s just a two-and-a-half-hour trip up the road and you’re home.
“I think that’s the thing I’m most looking forward to, a lot of Thursday and Friday night games and I’ll be able to get back up there on weekends and catch up with all the family and all the friends, and just settle right back in, so that’s awesome.”
With his side’s home ground the MCG, an achievable drive from Echuca-Moama, Schultz was sure he would have plenty of support when he runs out in the black-and-white for the first time.
“I hope I can get a few tickets for the first few games, because there’s plenty of guys who will want to come down,” he said.
