LUKE Beveridge doesn't think Nathan Buckley would be part of the mid-season Lin Jong meeting at the Holden Centre if he had his time again, saying the Collingwood coach had been "led up the wrong path".
A Collingwood party that included Buckley met with the out-of-contract Jong at the club's headquarters recently to discuss the midfielder possibly crossing to the Magpies in October's trade period.
When news of the meeting broke this week, Buckley told reporters he would be unhappy if he was in Beveridge's position but maintained he would do the same again.
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"Nathan called me but it's played out in a public space and I know Nathan has said that if he had his time over he'd do it again but I don't think he would," Beveridge said after the Bulldogs' 10-point win over Richmond on Saturday night.
"Ultimately if our list manager Jason McCartney came to me – which he wouldn't – and said, 'Hey, let's meet a player at the Whitten Oval', I'd say, 'Hang on, mate. I'm keen to talk to him but it's too risky to do it here.'
WATCH: Luke Beveridge's full post-match media conference
"Maybe Nathan has been led up the wrong path there as well because he's assertive enough and mature enough to make a better decision than that."
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Beveridge said the Bulldogs had no issue with the Magpies talking to Jong, but thought the way they did it left a lot to be desired.
"Initially it was really tough for him and people around him let him down, his management let him down," Beveridge said.
"The Pies have got so much going for them but they were anxious to get him in to see their facility.
"We didn't have an issue with why and what was going on even though we wouldn't normally know about it, but it was just where and the timing of it," Beveridge said.
"If you're going to do it, do it at the end of the year and as you know Jongy is a required player and much loved.
"We sort of made light of it and we felt for him actually because they put him in a difficult situation and it shouldn't have got out, but it shouldn't have happened.
"If they're going to talk to him, just talk to him somewhere else."
Jong almost made the perfect start on Saturday night but narrowly missed a chance to kick the game's opening goal.
The midfielder had a quiet game after that, however, finishing with 13 possessions.
