Collingwood chief executive Mark Anderson has sensationally lashed former Magpies recruiter Matt Rendell’s “inaccurate comments” and declared list manager Ned Guy’s right to take legal action.
Rendell on Friday claimed Guy, who recently announced he’d leave his position as Pies list manager after the 2021 mid-season draft, “didn’t watch much footy” during his time in his position.
“People are coming into the club in recruiting and list management – you have to love watching all footy. I watch AFL, VFL, women’s, under-18s, and I’ll go to the local clubs and watch them play. Any grade of football I’ll watch,” Rendell told SEN’s The Captain’s Run.
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“I don’t think Ned was that keen on watching a lot of footy. From that point of view I thought it was a really poor appointment by Geoff Walsh from my point of view. And no surprise it has ended up like it has.”
But in a statement on Saturday night, Anderson said the Pies were “deeply disappointed by inaccurate comments” made by Rendell, adding they “cannot be allowed to pass without being corrected by the facts”.
“For the record, in 2019 Guy attended 137 AFL, SANFL, WAFL, TFL, NEAFL and NAB League matches. He travelled approximately 67,000km to do so. On average he attended five matches a week.
“In 2020, Guy lived outside of Victoria for four months, and away from his wife and young children for two months, to escape the COVID-19 lockdown in place at the time. This enabled him to scout matches in Western Australia, South Australia, Tasmania, Queensland and New South Wales.
“Guy flew approximately 37,000km on behalf of Collingwood in 2020 to attend 49 matches (a COVID-19 reduced figure) and interview potential recruits. Collingwood recruiting manager Derek Hine honoured a similar schedule.
“Collingwood recruited eight players in the 2020 national and rookie drafts and is widely seen to have chosen wisely.
“Guy has been an industry professional for almost two decades and has the widespread respect of his peers, many of whom are offering their support in light of the claims they know to be untrue.
“Given these facts, Guy is reserving his right to further action.”
Guy played a crucial part in the club’s chaotic 2020 trade period, with Adam Treloar, Tom Phillips, Jaidyn Stephenson and Atu Bonsenavulagi departing the club without the Pies gaining much in return due to salary constraints.
