‘Absolute garbage’: Storm erupts over Collingwood photo

Football greats have come out guns blazing after a photo of Collingwood players caused a stir in AFL circles.

Brayden Maynard and Jordan De Goey share a high-five.

Questions about the attitude of Collingwood players during their winless start to the season have been torched by AFL greats this week.

The Magpies were outclassed by the Swans on Friday night prompting questions about what is going wrong with the reigning premiers.

Watch every game of every round this Toyota AFL Premiership Season LIVE with no ad-breaks during play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

Vision of Collingwood players being “lazy” in defence earlier caused a stir with four-time premiership Hawk Jordan Lewis saying Collingwood players weren’t trying hard enough to get back in defence when the Swans were transitioning the ball forward.

One particular moment sparked discussions this week with Brayden Maynard and Jordan De Goey sharing a casual high-five as they jogged back while the Swans teed up Sam Wicks for an easy goal to put the result beyond doubt in the fourth quarter.

Footy greats, including Lewis and Demons legend Garry Lyon, were surprised by the behaviour and Magpies gun Jeremy Howe was asked about the scene on Tuesday night.

When asked on Fox Footy’s AFL 360 if he was comfortable with how his teammates behaved, Howe responded: “You can draw any conclusion looking at a little bit of footage like that.

“They may have been saying, ‘C’mon mate, let’s keep going. I need you to keep going’.

Collingwood’s defensive intensity just wasn’t there. Photo: Fox Footy.

“It’s like there’s touchpoints on the field, there’s ways things that we communicate with one another. There’s obviously ways we work with each another to make sure we stay engaged in the game.

“I would say that’s clearly one of those moments. Again, without getting the context and without speaking to either of those boys.... I don’t think it has any negative connotation. We want to be trying to win the game at all costs so that’s going to keep those boys in the right frame of mind to keep competing, then I don’t have a problem with it at all.”

Former Collingwood star Dane Swan was among those to hit out at suggestions the high five showed the players didn’t have the right attitude.

“Oh you gotta be joking,” former Crows player Josh Jenkins posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Former Hawthorn premiership player Campbell Brown wrote: “This is the worst take I have heard in all my time in football Absolute garbage”.

Port Adelaide great Warren Tredrea also posted: “Not a discussion point at all”.

Brayden Maynard and Jordan De Goey share a high-five. Photo: Fox Footy.

The photo has clearly divided the footy world with other former players raising their eyebrows.

“There were countless times where you watched the play unfold and there were players not communicating, players jogging, players that weren’t willing to buy in defensively,” Lewis said after the Magpies’ loss on Fox Footy.

“This is where you’d want Collingwood to be better. It is far too easy to come through the middle of the ground.

“There’s no communication, they are ball watching. There’s even players giving high-fives.”

Lyon responded by saying: “That is bizarre”.

Lewis added: “It is hard to believe.

“That is lazy, that is not being involved in the game, that is not helping your defence.

“They were waiting for the end of the game. You don’t say this often about Collingwood but they turned up their toes tonight.

“When you see that in a review on a Monday, that is hard to cop as a player.”