Matthews slams hypocritical Magpies

Updated July 27, 2012 13:07:09

Leigh Matthews believes the struggles Collingwood have had tying down Travis Cloke is karma for the Magpies trying to poach Jonathan Brown when 'Lethal' was coaching at Brisbane.

Matthews coached Brisbane to three consecutive flags from 2001-3 and a fourth grand final appearance the year afterwards - having earlier led Collingwood to a premiership in 1990.

Brown and Simon Black are the lone Lions remaining from the glory days at the Gabba and Matthews says the Magpies made keeping Brown at the club very difficult - making their complaints about the situation concerning Cloke hypocritical.

"What goes around comes around," Matthews said on the AFL website.

"Whenever we were trying to sign Jonathan Brown in 2005 and 2008, Collingwood were the Fremantle of the time.

"They had the big offer on the table. They were saying to Jonathan Brown that if he came back to Melbourne he would make $1.5 million a year.

"That's what they told him he would earn by coming back to Melbourne.

"There was a big offer on the table and that's why Jonathan ended up staying with the Lions.

"When you know that kind of offer is on the table you think to yourself 'I have to make the maximum I can from my existing club'."

Cloke's form has suffered since he admitted Fremantle had bid around $1 million for his services last month.

Melbourne also believed to have made a substantial offer to snare him and Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy this week admitted his side could be back in the frame for the key forward.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, collingwood-3066, brisbane-4000

First posted July 27, 2012 13:02:24

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McGuire slams Malthouse for not supporting Buckley

Updated April 16, 2012 09:54:48

Club president Eddie McGuire has slammed former coach Mick Malthouse insisting he "wouldn't have a friend at Collingwood today."

Malthouse and McGuire have been embroiled in an increasingly bitter war of words which has escalated following the 60-point loss to Carlton on Friday.

After just three games in charge of the 2010 champions, Nathan Buckley is already under pressure and McGuire, who also slammed Magpies fans for not supporting the team during Friday's defeat, feels Malthouse is adding to his former assistant's problems.

"Mick, if you're listening out there mate, your legacy is secure," McGuire said on Triple M.

"You've been a sensational servant to the Collingwood football club, we love you, but move on now because picking over the scabs, you're doing exactly what you used to hate (former coach) Tony Shaw doing to you.

"Give Bucks a bit of a go mate, because when Bucks was the captain he carried that team for you, he played his guts out for you - give the bloke a bit of a chance, he's in his first year."

McGuire said Malthouse "reneged" on the five-year contract put to him in 2009 that would see him coach for two years moving to a director of coaching role with Buckley as coach from this season on.

"We signed off on a plan two-and-a-half years ago that Mick was all over - and if he wasn't, certainly his manager was. We had it and he decided not to stay at the club," he said.

"But I'm disappointed this morning that basically he's bagged me, bagged Bucks, bagged (football manager) Geoff Walsh - which is very disappointing because of the support Geoff Walsh has given him.

"He's come out and blamed the grand final loss on Dane Swan, Chris Tarrant and the umpires. That's hard.

"You can't claim the glory for the coaching plan to get to the grand final and then bag the players who actually followed it out.

"I love Mick and I've supported him 100 per cent, but I tell you what, he wouldn't have a friend at Collingwood today. He hasn't missed anyone."

McGuire also bristled at suggestions from Malthouse that Leon Davis, a key defender for the Magpies in 2011, would have stayed with the club if there had not been a change of coach.

"I spoke to Leon Davis 15 minutes after the grand final and he told me that he was going home for family reasons," McGuire said.

"It wouldn't have mattered if he was offered a million bucks, he was going home.

"Leon was going for every reason other than football, let me tell you that. Whether Mick was going to be there or not, I don't think that was going to make any difference."

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, collingwood-3066

First posted April 16, 2012 09:14:39

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Thompson slams Stanton knockers

Posted May 11, 2011 14:17:00

Essendon is at a loss to understand why respected utility Brent Stanton continues to feel the wrath of Bombers fans.

The situation reached a new low on Sunday when Stanton was jeered by a section of the home crowd at Docklands stadium when he was substituted out of the AFL match against West Coast.

Stanton was replaced by Angus Monfries after being knocked out earlier in the match, which the Bombers won by 16 points.

The 25-year-old - who has long been a whipping boy for sections of the large Essendon fan base despite three top-three finishes in the best and fairest award - remains in doubt for Saturday night's clash against winless Brisbane at the Gabba.

Essendon assistant coach Mark Thompson said it was not until after the final siren that the coaching staff learnt Stanton had again copped the ire of the crowd.

"It's just amazing really that our supporters can do that," said Thompson, who returned to Windy Hill this season after coaching Geelong to two flags.

"I thought most of the things we have done this year have been pretty positive.

"From a a coaching perspective, from Hirdy (head coach James Hird) down, we all love what Brent Stanton does for the team.

"He's a leader of the team, he takes people with him, he trains exceptionally well.

"We rate him as one of our best players, so you'd think our supporters would cheer him."

Stanton has played 148 matches for the Bombers since making his debut in 2004.

Such is his status inside the club that he replaced Hird in the famed number five jumper when the club legend retired four years ago.

"All I know is that our players are right behind him, the coaches are right behind him and the club is right behind him 100 per cent," said Thompson, a three-time Bombers premiership player and former captain.

"And we'd like our supporters to get behind him now."

-AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, vic, essendon-3040

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