Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley has contacted departed duo Adam Treloar and Jaidyn Stephenson after the pair took to the media following the club's decision to move them on to rival clubs.
Buckley, Magpies football boss Geoff Walsh and list manager Ned Guy have all come under fire in recent days following a disastrous trade period deadline-day that saw four players leave the club.
Tom Phillips and Atu Bosenavulagi joined Treloar and Stephenson in leaving Collingwood on Thursday, with the latter pairing detailing their fallout with their coach public.
Following his move to the Western Bulldogs, Treloar revealed that Buckley had told him senior members of the team wanted him out of the club.
โ(The truth) is what you read. That was told to me in no uncertain way,โ Treloar said.
โThat did hurt because I know how close I am with the players. To be told that when I donโt think thatโs the truth - to be told thereโs some players who donโt want you there, when I know that the majority of players love me and care for me, that did it hurt a bit.
โ(Collingwood) were adamant on moving me on so no matter how they were going to go about it, it was going to happen.
โIโve spoken to a number of players and the majority of the players have sent me messages of love and support. I just donโt think that was the reality.
โI think they were up for a fight until the end because thatโs where I wanted to be at Collingwood. I guess anything was going to be said to move me on.
โThereโs not been one player that has come to me and said โyeah, I was apart of moving you on.โ
According toย 7NEWS'ย Tom Browne, Buckley has since contacted Treloar to explain that there has been a miss-understanding and that he was just relaying feedback from players in regards to Treloar's defensive work rate.
Buckley also followed up with Stephenson shortly after the now-North Melbourne forward spoke onย SEN.
โI heard nothing from the club so I gave Bucks a call myself to see what was going on,โ Stephenson said.
โHe just said he doesnโt know if Iโve allowed myself to open up to the group, which I donโt necessarily agree with but if thatโs how he saw it heโs the coach and thatโs his (prerogative).
โIโll be endearing myself to my new teammates and coaches and Iโll hopefully put my best foot forward there if he thinks thatโs what my problem was.โ
Stephenson added that Buckley โsaw a few issues which he didnโt like in a footballerโ.
Buckley and Stephenson had a "very honest" talk just hours after his move to the Kangaroos, with Walsh soon firing back at the accusations made by Stephenson.
However, in an interview withย Newscorp,ย Stephenson stated everything he had mentioned was the truth.
โEverything I said was just the truth,โ he said.
โObviously, throughout the year I got told about things I needed to work on and we went through those, but there was never a mention of a trade until the week before (the trade period) when my manager told me.
โTheyโre two very different things (conversations about football and being put up for trade) and theyโre not something youโd get mixed up, thatโs for sure.
โIโm not bitter, I obviously understand itโs a business and they think their future would be better without me.โ
