Free agent Brayden Maynard has re-signed with Collingwood for four more years on a deal worth about $3.3 million.
The vice captain, considered the modern embodiment of the classic Collingwood player, a heart-and-soul figure extremely popular with the Collingwood fans, will be likely now to remain a Magpie for life.
Brayden Maynard has re-signed with the Magpies for four more years.Credit: AFL Photos
Given the popularity of the tough defender, it always seemed unlikely Maynard would leave. But the arrival of two more half-back flankers in Dan Houston and Harry Perryman last off-season created the idea that Maynard could become surplus to requirements in a team searching for options to bring in a draft pick.
Maynard’s form had been excellent this year regardless of the duo’s arrival and the fact he has carried a foot injury. His ruptured his plantar fascia a fortnight ago and will miss at least one more game after this week’s bye before returning.
North Melbourne, Adelaide, Port Adelaide and Sydney were all interested in the free agent and while they were sceptical that he was a player Collingwood would be prepared to lose and not try to re-sign, the longer he remained unsigned the more hopeful they became.
It didn’t get to the point of clubs making formal contract offers, but he was made aware he could earn close to $1 million a year for four or five years if he were open to leaving. That sort of contract would have earned Collingwood a first-round draft pick in free agency compensation.
Having traded this year’s first-round national draft pick as part of the deal to get Houston, Collingwood are in the market for draft picks with two next generation academy players and potential father-son players available to them this year.
As the rules stand – and they may be subject to change with the advent of trading future picks two years in advance this year – Collingwood can’t trade their future first-round pick to get back into this year’s draft because they have traded two future first-round picks in the last four-year cycle. AFL rules cap how many future picks clubs can trade in a four-year period.
Athletic ruck and key forward Zac McCarthy is the best of the draftees for whom Collingwood have priority access. The academy player, who is extremely athletic, had a poor first game in the national championships last weekend for Vic Metro but has been touted as a possible late first-round pick.
At 198 centimetres, he is unlikely to be tall enough to be a first ruck at AFL level and more likely to play as a key forward and second ruck.
Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom have played more games together than any other pair in the game’s history.Credit: AFL Photos
Tom McGuane, the son of Pies premiership player Mick McGuane, is an onballer considered a possible first-round pick but is more likely to be bid on later in the draft.
Jai Saxena is a small forward in their academy and is likely to attract a bid later in the draft. Oscar Lonie, son of Ryan, is also available as a father-son.
The Magpies have many veterans on the playing list, but with so many of them still playing extremely well – Steele Sidebottom, Scott Pendlebury and Jeremy Howe in particular – they are making a case to be retained for yet another season next year.
Jamie Elliott is another older player performing at All Australian level but at 32, is one of the younger veterans and one who was always likely to continue next year.
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