SEN Breakfast duo Garry Lyon and Tim Watson have urged Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley to ‘be better’ to his players in the future.
The Pies have had one of the worst trade periods in recent memory, losing Adam Treloar, Jaidyn Stephenson, Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi for relatively cheap deals.
“Nathan Buckley once said ‘be better’. Be better Bucks… if that is the case.” Lyon said on SEN Breakfast Friday morning.
When asked about the Stephenson situation that saw the 2018 Rising Star winner call up Buckley to find out his future, Lyon had one question to ask.
“This 21-year old young man, who is a touch vulnerable, who we had enough faith to give him an extension on a contract nine months ago, who amongst us thought it might be a good idea to pick up a phone and say, ‘mate it hasn’t worked out?’” he said.
“That kid got told and then had to wait a week and heard nothing… and he had to pick the phone up to the coach.”
Watson was not convinced by the explanation given by Buckley on Twitter, who said that it was one of his toughest days in footy.
“No one wants to hear that, sorry Nathan. Nobody wants to hear how tough it was for you,” he said.
“I’m still struggling to believe that it played out like that… It beggars belief, if it played out like that… there’s two sides to a story.
“The amount of spin that Collingwood are applying to this is extraordinary…. I’m not convinced.”
Lyon said he wasn’t impressed with what Ned Guy said at the conclusion of the trade period either.
“He’s not a media performer, that’s not his go… his job is to manage a list and that looks it hasn’t been done all that well either,” he said.
“I listened and watched and I’m not buying any of that… You want to hear from the man who preaches solidarity, honesty, openness, side by side, in it together.”