Maxwell dismisses Magpies' AFL rift talk

Collingwood AFL captain Nick Maxwell says he has not picked up any hint of the supposed rift between coach Nathan Buckley and Magpies players.

Former great Wayne Carey has insisted he has it on good authority that six or seven players at the club don’t get along with Buckley and are unhappy with his methods.

But Maxwell believes he is close enough to his teammates that he would be aware if such claims were true.

“I haven’t heard any of it and I’ve got a great relationship with the players,” the Magpies skipper told Melbourne’s SEN radio on Wednesday.

“We talk about a lot of different things and obviously we talked about what was going to happen last year, because we knew there was going to be a coaching changeover.

“It’s never come up.

“Bucks played with a lot of us – we’ve got a great relationship with him.”

Maxwell also defended Buckley’s predecessor Mick Malthouse, who coached Collingwood to the 2010 premiership, saying he was within his rights to criticise the club.

Magpies president Eddie McGuire said on Monday that Malthouse “wouldn’t have a friend at Collingwood” after using his new position in the media to criticise aspects of the club.

But Maxwell said he still had a great relationship with Malthouse and understood the ex-coach was required to give forthright views on the Magpies.

“That’s his job – he’s out there to make comment,” Maxwell said.

“He’s going to be asked questions. He’s not going to say ‘I’m not going to talk about Collingwood tonight’.

“He’s got to answer them as openly and honestly as he can.

“He’s always been like that, talking honestly, so I’ve got no problems with that.

“I’ve still got a great relationship with him … that’s not going to change.”