Mick Malthouse says losing an assistant coach to a rival club during a finals campaign is a minor issue and everyone should just move on.
Malthouse was coaching Collingwood in 2011 when his assistant Mark Neeld departed before the preliminary final to become coach of Melbourne. The Demons had missed the finals and were keen to get a head-start on preparations for 2012.
Collingwood chief executive Gary Pert says the AFL should prevent key club staff from making detailed presentations to rival teams during a finals campaign.
Malthouse, 58, has stepped down and his assistant Nathan Buckley has taken over at Collingwood.
Malthouse says any man can be replaced within a football club.
''If you've got the ship running right, it's a minor blip,'' the triple-premiership coach said yesterday.
''If you do your job properly, you've got people within the organisation to step in.
''You don't want to restrict anyone from taking over a senior job.
''I just think it's something that happens. It won't happen that often and clubs have been able to cope.
''I don't see it being a negative.''
Malthouse, the second-longest serving coach in AFL history, said it was only natural that rival clubs would seek to hire staff from more successful teams.
''You get over it. If you're that dependent on one person you've got real trouble,'' Malthouse said.
Geelong, who beat Collingwood in last year's grand final, also lost an assistant coach during the finals series last year.
Brenton Sanderson was appointed Adelaide mentor and watched the grand final from the stands.
Four-time premiership coach Leigh Matthews says it's an occupational hazard for successful teams.
''I don't think you can say to clubs 'you can't talk to people who are in premiership contention','' Matthews said. ''It's unrealistic to think that new clubs looking for a coach can't talk to the obvious candidates at other clubs.''
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