North Melbourne CEO Addresses Club’s $1 Million Trade Connection to Magpies Star Brayden Maynard

Todd Viney, the general manager of football at North Melbourne, has addressed speculation linking the club to Brayden Maynard, the out-of-contract star from Collingwood.

Reports from News Corp emerged over the weekend indicating that the Kangaroos are contemplating an offer that could reach up to $1 million a season for the Magpies’ defender.

With ample salary cap flexibility, the club is in a position to pursue a prominent free agent this summer, especially after Dan Houston opted to join Collingwood instead of North Melbourne.

While Viney cautioned that the reports might be jumping the gun, he acknowledged that Maynard fits the profile of a player they would be keen to recruit.

“The reports might be a bit hasty… we haven’t engaged in any serious discussions with his manager or Brayden,” he stated during an interview with 3AW Radio.

“We’re keeping tabs on all free agents and restricted free agents, as well as players nearing the end of their contracts. We’ve been monitoring prospects for quite some time, likely for the past two years.”

“Maynard is a player we know is out of contract. We’re still enhancing our backline, which we believe needs to solidify, especially defensively.” Viney added, “He could potentially be an asset if he decides to leave Collingwood.”

Following their defeat against Adelaide, where North conceded a hefty 114 points, Viney also provided an update on another prized out-of-contract midfielder, Luke Davies-Uniacke, mentioning that the club’s ongoing improvement could pave the way for his decision-making.

“We hope to have news on that front soon, but our focus is on fostering a positive environment for him. We’re confident that everything will sort itself out.” he remarked.

North Melbourne is eager to rebound next weekend as they face Sydney at Marvel Stadium after their recent loss to Adelaide.