North Melbourne to offer Brayden Maynard $5m+ deal to leave Collingwood

A Victorian rival has launched an audacious bid worth more than $5m to try and lure Brayden Maynard out of Collingwood.

North Melbourne will attempt to blow Collingwood out of the water with a mega $5 – $6 million offer for gun premiership defender Brayden Maynard.

The Herald Sun understands the Roos could be prepared to offer the tough backman a head-turning six-year contract worth as much as $1 million a year to bring him to Arden St.

The Kangaroos have targeted Maynard for his hardness, leadership and team ethic to help compliment their brilliant young midfield group and emerging defensive group.

Maynard, who is an unrestricted free agent, is a beloved figure at Collingwood, but could find the life-changing offer hard to knock back.

Collingwood would be unable to match the size of the blockbuster offer and could receive a first-round draft pick as compensation under free agency rules.

North Melbourne has offered Brayden Maynard a six-year deal to leave Collingwood. Picture: Michael Klein

Maynard conceded this week his future was uncertain.

The Magpies do not currently have a first-round draft pick after trading it out last year to land Port Adelaide star half back Dan Houston.

Richmond great Jack Riewoldt said on Fox Footy Maynard would be an excellent acquisition to support and help protect the gun youngsters at North.

“I like it. It is a lot of money and a lot of time (on a contract) for a 28-year-old,” Riewoldt said.

“But if I was to go and pluck a player out to go and have an impact on the field and also defensively behind the ball he would be really important to them.

“But also from a culture perspective, that little bit of grunt, that little bit of blue-collar worker he would be your number one (target).

“You can’t imagine him not in the Collingwood jumper so it is a big decision. He seems like a very loyal character, but six million over six years at 28 years of age is a big carrot.

”

Two-time North Melbourne premiership great David King said Maynard was a realistic target for North after missing out on some superstar midfielders over the past decade.

“We have got to get used to clubs targeting that next level of player, (because) it is very difficult to getting the absolute top-liner out of a club these days to pry them out,” King said on Fox Footy.

“And you have got to offer them ridiculous money. This is not ridiculous money (for Maynard), as silly as it sounds.

“It is not ridiculous money for a player who can impact like this.”

North has significant salary cap room to bring in more mature talent at season’s end.

The move could also help encourage free agent Luke Davies-Uniacke to stay at North as he weighs up monster offers from rivals including St Kilda.

King said North Melbourne had to be aggressive and strategic.

“He is not a centre-forward type and he is not a tackle-breaking midfielder so there is a risk to it and this (offer) is a bit longer than most.” King said.

“But you have to get used to the clubs now going after the B-plus players not the absolute A-Grader.”

Originally published as North Melbourne to offer Brayden Maynard $5m+ deal to leave Collingwood