Chris Mayne’s dad slams Collingwood over the treatment of the $2 million recruit

THE father of $2 million recruit Chris Mayne has lashed Collingwood over the treatment of his son as coach Nathan Buckley hinted the Magpies might come to a settlement with him.

The father of Chris Mayne has slammed the Magpies. Picture: George Salpigtidis

COLLINGWOOD will be forced to honour Chris Mayne’s full $2 million contract despite his dramatic fall from grace.

The Magpies continued to back away from Mayne on Friday, as his father Steve hit out on Twitter at the club’s lack of support for the 28-year-old.

High-priced free agent Mayne was dropped by Collingwood after Round 3 and Buckley hinted the Pies might come to a settlement with him.

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He has three years left on a $500,000-a-year deal and no intention of agreeing to a settlement.

His manager Colin Young refused to comment, but the Herald Sun understands he is intent on seeing out his four-season contract.

It is believed Young and Mayne are bemused by suggestions Buckley was not the key driver of the bid to secure Mayne.

Chris Mayne was dropped after playing the first three games of the season. Picture: George Salpigtidis

Steve Mayne made it clear he believed Buckley wasn’t supporting his son.

“Bulls---, Buckley was in those meetings, now hedging bets and a player suffers through zero fault of his own,” Steve Mayne tweeted.

“Perhaps you (AFL) should ask if Buckley was in the original meeting, and the role discussed? 2 sides to a story.”

Perhaps you should ask if Buckley was in the original meeting, and the role discussed? 2 sides to a story.

— Steve Mayne (@Maynedog) September 1, 2017

Mayne said Buckley had thrown his son “under the bus” by dropping him then saying the Pies needed to lift their forward 50 pressure.

“Really! Bottom 2 or 3 for forward pressure? Who did you recruit to play that role? gave him 3 games. now throw him under the bus,” Mayne tweeted.

Really! Bottom 2 or 3 for forward pressure? Who did you recruit to play that role? gave him 3 games. now throw him under the bus. @ncb_cfc

— Steve Mayne (@Maynedog) September 1, 2017

It is understood Buckley made a pitch to Mayne about how he would fit into the forward line as a harassing presence who could help organise the front six.

Mayne left that meeting in no doubt of Buckley’s passion for his strengths and his enthusiasm for Mayne to join Collingwood.

Instead he was dropped by Round 4 and the Pies battled all year to retain the ball inside forward 50.

“There were a few things mixed up with that,” Buckley told SEN of Mayne’s recruitment.

“Our director of football was flipping around and there were a few things that happened there that weren’t ideal.

Mayne languished in the VFL for most of the season. Picture: Michael Klein

“It’s been a tough year for Mayney and we’ve got some decisions to make going forward with that, but that hasn’t been a great result in the first 12 months.

“Mayney is currently playing VFL footy and has been first-class with his attitude and his commitment to the club and the team, as we knew he would be.

“But, at an AFL level, it hasn’t been what he or we thought it was going to be.”

Buckley said Collingwood had made a summer priority of improving its forward-50 tackling.

Alex Fasolo and Jamie Elliott were among the 10 worst pressuring forwards in the league this year and Round 23 debutant Kayle Kirby needs a massive pre-season to build the fitness to be a tackling presence.

Sacked football boss Graeme Allan pushed hard for the club to consider Mayne, but Buckley’s pitch got him over the line.

Mayne had also been offered a three-season deal with Fremantle, but instead was lured to the Pies on the belief he would be a key player in Buckley’s side.

The season he has just endured would make it almost impossible for a rival to pick him up, so a trade would have little appeal.

Mayne’s only option will be to work hard over the summer and attempt to secure a place in the line-up in 2018.

The Pies’ recruitment of Mayne was always peculiar given his best seasons in 2012 (39 goals) and 2013 (37 goals) were followed by tallies of 13, 28 and 18.

Collingwood hopes Daniel Wells will return in elite shape to push hard over summer after a mixed season of brilliant form hampered by continual soft-tissue injuries.