Trade Talk: Will Pies hold on to Maynard?

Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly is taking a realistic approach to Brayden Maynard’s upcoming free agency call.

The 28-year-old enters unrestricted free agency at the end of the season, and while he’s stated a desire to remain a one-club player, he told the Herald Sun recently that: “I would feel weird in another jumper, but it is a business, so whatever happens, happens.”

Kelly is also looking at Maynard’s next call as a business decision, and while he would love to make sure the vice-captain remains a Pie, he’s completely fine with the defender trying to secure the best deal for himself financially as that is the reality of free agency.

“He’s one of the most loved and important players for our club,” Kelly told SEN Afternoons.

“You have guys in clubland that are just really solid, amazing players but they've got all this other stuff (about them). So, he is such a much-loved person.

“But what everyone needs to understand, and what's changed in the industry, is that when players talk to other clubs when they're a free agent, it's all okay, it’s fine.

“We do our very best and whatever we can do to get in front of (his manager) Tommy Petroro and 'Bruzzie' too to show him our love and what we can do financially while managing our TPP (total player payments).

“But if someone desperately wants him and wants to pay him a heap more for a longer period of time, everyone should be going, ‘Good luck mate, if that opportunity is there, even though we'd love you to be here, we want you to be here’.”

While reiterating that Collingwood will do everything in their power to keep Maynard, Kelly thinks that the AFL industry needs to mature when it comes to free agency and the reality of players talking to other clubs when they’re coming out of contract.

“That is something that the industry has got to get its head around, people need to just relax a bit. Everyone's talking to everyone when they're becoming a free agent,” Kelly said.

“It's the reality of life, and it's a great opportunity for the players. It’s a short career, let them have the opportunity to max it out.

“But we'll do everything in our power to keep him at our club.”

Turning 29 in September, Maynard’s next deal will likely be the last long-term, big-money contract of his career.

Listen to the full chat between Kelly and Dwayne Russell here