Magpie skipper Nick Maxwell has revealed O'Brien acted without the club's knowledge when he fronted cameras outside the Westpac Centre to open up about the 'demons' he was facing.
"We did not know he was going to talk this morning," Maxwell told SEN Radio on Tuesday evening.
"That was his prerogative and we're trying to support him as much as we can."
Revealing he had many long chats with O'Brien about his personal life, Maxwell defended the way his club had handled the star defender amid a media storm which saw commentators tell O'Brien to 'harden up' after his spat with coach Nathan Buckley became public.
The skipper supported the decision to keep O'Brien's personal issues private, saying it was O'Brien's wish the Pies list him as injured before last Friday's game against Carlton.
"That was Harry's call," Maxwell said.
"There was a discussion between Harry and the club as to whether it was going to be his ankle or whether it was going to be personal issues, or whatever it was. He said 'nah, put down it was an ankle', so out of respect for what he wanted that's what the club did."
Maxwell said O'Brien was coming out of a 'dark place'.
"He's probably in a better place right now than what he's been for a month … He's a lot happier right at this very minute than what he's been in a long time."
