Former Collingwood footy boss Neil Balme says Nathan Buckley isn't completely to blame for the controversial Chris Mayne deal.
Mayne, 29, signed a four-year, $2 million contract after season 2016 to join the Magpies from Fremantle, but only managed three senior games in 2017, and didn't feature for the Pies after round three.
The lucrative deal has come under intense media scrutiny all year due to Mayne's inability to contribute to the senior side, or even excel in the VFL, where he spent majority of the season.
Balme, who now works at Richmond, shed some light on the topic.
โI think I know a lot more about that than Iโm prepared to talk about, but I wouldnโt blame Bucks for him totally,โ Balme told SEN on Friday.
โIt looks like his deal was a very, very good deal to his (Mayneโs) advantage. Iโm not quite sure how that happened, I think thatโs probably the error in it all.โ
Nathan Buckley recently told SEN in relation the the Mayne deal that "there were a few things mixed up with that. Our director of football was flipping around and there were a few things that happened there that werenโt ideal", however Balme suggested coaches at all clubs play a major part in the acquisition of players.
โCertainly, he wouldnโt be there if the coach said, โAbsolutely, categorically I donโt want himโ, but there are a lot of players on your list who arenโt necessarily your first-picked player, but theyโre going to be important players around the place,โ Balme said on SEN.
โIn Chrisโs case I think it seems as though itโs a deal that doesnโt really suit any more, but Iโm not quite sure how that happened because I was just leaving at the time."
Balme expressed sympathy for Mayne's situation, describing it as "very harsh and unfair".
โAll heโs done is put his hand up and say, โIโd love to come and play for your club, I want to come and experience footy in Melbourneโ...heโd done some really good work with Fremantle, probably run his race there...not quite sure what happened there, and he finished up at Collingwood, which is all fine," Balme said.
โDid he play well enough? No, he didnโt. Did they give him enough opportunities? Who knows.โ
Mayne played 172 games and kicked 196 goals for Fremantle before moving to Collingwood.
