Paul Connors, the manager of Collingwood youngster Nathan Freeman, spoke with SEN shortly after it was announced that Freeman would be seeking a trade elsewhere.
Although highly touted, hamstring injuries haven't allowed Freeman to make an AFL debut in his two years on Collingwood's list.
He was drafted by the Magpies with pick No. 10 in the 2013 National Draft.
Former skipper Nick Maxwell said he used to compare Freeman's physical capabilities to Patrick Dangerfield.
NEWS: Freeman requests a trade.
Maxwell said Freeman had been offered greater money at a rival club, but Freeman's manager Paul Connors denied finance was the motivating factor behind the move.
"The offer (from Collingwood) we thought was unreasonable … don't get me wrong, he hasn't played a game so it's not like we were after that (much) – it's how that makes you feel," Connors told SEN's Morning Glory.
"That made him feel that he wanted just to have a think about his position.
"He hasn’t played for two years so he's frustrated and that's what brought it on.
"Luke McPharlin left Hawthorn a long time ago because he was injured – they leave sometimes when they're injured."
Connors went on to suggest the Magpies were not in the race to secure much-hyped Brisbane Lion James Aish because they already had plenty of young midfield talent.
The Pies are set to secure talented Greater Western Sydney midfielder Adam Treloar and combined with several other emerging guns, Connors suggested the club's depth also played a role in Freeman's desire to seek a move.
"Don't forget, Collingwood has got Treloar, they've got (Jack) Crisp, they've got (Levi) Greenwood, they're not even chasing Aish because they think they're probably ok in the position," he said.
"It's not as simple as 'it's about money'."
Morning Glory's Tim Watson took a different stance.
"If I was the manager of the kid, you know what I'd be saying?
"Let's forget about chasing money because your body is all banged up at the moment and you haven't been able to prove yourself. Let's stay where the club has looked after you for two years."
Connor remained adamant that money is not a factor.
"It’s not as simple as it’s about money. To say he’s just leaving because he’s getting more money — it’s not as simple as that. It’s not how Nathan Freeman conducts himself.
"Collingwood is upset because they’ve invested a lot of time, so I understand the emotions will be high. I’m not going to sit back and let Nathan Freeman’s character be questioned, because he’s a ripping person."
