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Collingwood and Treloar - sorry for the three flags you missed Ads but we seem to have overspent

28th October, 2020
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Roar Guru
28th October, 2020
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On August 7, 2019, Adam Treloar discussed in a very raw way both his battle with anxiety and love for the club he chose to join from Greater Western Sydney.

“If it wasn’t for them guys, the love and support from my teammates (I would have stopped playing). I love those guys,” he said on AFL 360.

“I love the Collingwood Football Club, I’m always going to be a black and white man. I absolutely love the place — still have my struggles — but from where I am 12 months ago, I am that far ahead.”

Heart on your sleeve stuff with Adam.

Just over 12 months later, Collingwood’s ultimately indifferent and unfulfilling 2020 season has taken an ugly exclamation point in regard to its treatment of the star midfielder.

Treloar’s wife, Kim Ravaillion, and daughter are set to relocate to Queensland for 2021 as Kim has taken up an offer for contract with the Firebirds in the Super Netball competition.

While Teloar says he is happy to work through the logistics of this and has no intention of leaving the Pies, the trade chats suggest Treloar has played his last game for the club.

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With widespread media speculation Treloar is being shopped around as a ‘salary dump’ to all bidders, the silence from the Magpies has been deafening.

If the club wants to keep Treloar, where is the statement? It would be simple: “The Collingwood Football Club will not be entertaining any trade options on Adam Treloar, who is contracted to the club until 2025.”

But no, there is nothing to be heard.

This club is hardly quiet in regard to public statements and weekly marketing videos posted on their website speaking of the love and care for each other. A real happy place to scrape into the eight, maybe, but still a happy place.

Coach Nathan Buckley speaks of this love and care constantly and so do the players. Eddie McGuire calls it singing ‘Kumbaya’ with feelings of love and unity.

Eddie McGuire

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Ironically, it was Buckley who helped Treloar choose Collingwood over Richmond in the first place.

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Treloar has a long-term relationship with Buckley through the AIS prior to choosing the Pies over the Tigers and making the gaffe that Collingwood had a better list. Ouch.

Three flags later, Adam might be sitting on a wing for the Tigers with a trio of premiership medallions instead of facing being ‘salary dumped’ with zero premierships.

This story has the potential to become yet another PR disaster for Collingwood in a year to forget. For a player who loves the Pies, happened to lead the disposal count last season, was top ten in both stoppage clearance and contested possessions, and is signed through to 2025, what on Earth is going on?

What will the playing group think? What does a contract at the Pies mean? The club has carefully tried to emulate the success of Richmond by creating a happy environment for the playing group and got close with that focus in 2018.

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This apparent mismanagement of both salary cap and player could tear it all down in a heartbeat. If the worst of the speculation is true, Collingwood could be headed for disaster in a year when Nathan Buckley is on notice.

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Has list manager Ned Guy missed a column on his spreadsheet and overspent? Where is the love and care now? Where’s the touchy-feely video marketing team? Where is a club statement?

Why don’t members know what is going on? Hello? McGuire? Knock, knock. Is anyone there?

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