ADAM’S AXING AGONY
T RE L OAR OPENS UPON HURT
ADAM Treloar says he was told “in no uncertain way” by Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley that Magpies players did not want him at the club in what he believes to be a hurtful lie.
Speaking for the first time after a tumultuous month, the new Western Bulldogs recruit said he was shocked to be told team mates did not want him given the strong relationships he had built across five season sat Collingwood.
“It is what you read,” Treloar said when asked about the reported explosive conversation with Buckley. “That was told to me in no uncertain way and that did hurt, because I know how close I am with the players.
“To be told that, when I don’t think that’s the truth, and to be told that there’ s some players that don’ t want you there when I know the majority of the players love me and care for me, that did hurt a bit. But they were adamant on moving me on so no matter how they were going to go about it, it was going to happen. It was a fight up until the end, because I wanted to beat Collingwood .”
The confirmation came a week after Buckley took to Twitter to label reports of the conversation as “rumour and innuendo”, adding that “our leaders don’t sit on list management”.
When asked if he knew which players wanted him gone, Treloar said he simply did not believe the allegation to be true.
“I’ve spoken to a number of players and the majority of the players have sent me messages of love and support ,” he said .“I don’ t think that was the truth. I don’t think that was the reality.
“I think they were up for a fight to move me on and I guess anything was going to be said to movemeon.
NORTH Melbourne boo mr ecru itJaidyn Stephenson has revealed he shared an“honest” late night phone call with Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley following his shock exit fromtheMagpies.
The gun forward said he was not bitter with his former club and bears no grudges after speaking to Buckley, pictured, following the end of a turbo charged trade period on Thursdaynight.
“I spoke to Bucks last night after all was said and done at about 9 pm ,” Stephen son said.
“We just spoke and spoke very honestly with each other and we both have no hard feelings.
“Iunderstand thepositionhe’s inandIthinkat theendofthe dayit’sprobably the right thingformeto getafreshstart andhopefully growsomething good at North Melbourne .”
When asked if Buckley had properly explained the reasons forthe21-year-old’sdeparture, Stephen son replied:
“I’ m just going to keep that between us, but it was a good chat for me to have and I respect him for calling me and I’mgladwehadit.”
Magpies football boss Geoff Walsh on Friday refuted Stephen son’ s claim she was blindsided by the decision to trade himforasecond-roundpick.
Walsh told Triple M Stephen son had been spoken to on a“number of occasions” in a bid to re gain his form of 2018 when he won the Rising Star award and kicked 38 goals. Stephen son declared he stood by what he previously said.
“Everything I said was just thetruth,”hesaid.
“Obviously throughout the year I got told about things I needed to work on and we went through those, but there was never a mention of a trade until the week before when my managertoldme.
“They’ re two very different things( being told to improve and being told you’ re on the trade table) and they’ re not something you’ d get mixed up, that’s for sure.
“I’ m not bitter, I obviously understand it’ s a business and they think their future would be better without me.
“I still get to play footy at the highest level and I get to beat another good club, but I’ll certainly miss the relationships I’ve made.”
Theforward saidhewasexcited to be joiningtheRoos threeyearsafter first believing he’d landatArdenSt. “I actually went through my whole draft year in 2017 thinking North were going to take me, so it’ s almost like being where I’ m supposed to ,” he said .“They had pick No .4 in the draft and I trained there as a17-year-oldfortwoweeks throughtheAIS.
“I thought I’d trained all right and I got along with all the boys, so I thought I was a goodchance.
“In the end they got Luke Davies-Uni acke,who’ sa great player, but it’ s good to finally getthereIsuppose.”
Stephen son had a down year in 2020, but he has been seeing a personal trainer and said he was determined to get back to his deadly best.