Collingwood coach Craig McRae remains optimistic about Brayden Maynard staying put, despite mounting speculation that the free agent could be lured away by a significant offer from North Melbourne.
The hard-nosed defender has become one of the marquee names in this year’s free agency crop, with reports suggesting the Kangaroos are preparing a massive bid, possibly approaching seven figures per season, to tempt the premiership player to Arden Street.
Maynard hasn’t confirmed his intentions beyond 2025, and the longer he holds off on an extension, the louder the noise around his future is likely to get.
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“We love ‘Bruzzy’ very much”
Speaking to reporters, McRae said he won’t be involving himself in contract discussions, but his day-to-day read on Maynard offers no cause for alarm.
“I speak often to 'Bruzzy' about his footy, how much we appreciate him, how much we love him,” McRae said.
“I don't go into contract stuff. I'll leave that for list mismanagement and his manager. And funny enough, his manager is my manager, so there's a good relationship there.
“But we love 'Bruzzy' very much, and there's no reason right now, if I'm looking at him in the eye, to think [he won't be here].
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“But I'll leave it up to the managers to decide those things.”
Maynard, 28, has played 217 games for the Pies, becoming a life member and a cornerstone of their backline for nearly a decade. He's played no fewer than 19 games in each of the last nine seasons.
Collingwood still have a long list of decisions to make, with the futures of veterans like Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom, and Jamie Elliott also unresolved. That said, they’ve already made strides on the retention front, locking down the likes of Bobby Hill and Harry DeMattia on long-term deals.