Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy has labeled Eddie McGuire a 'panic merchant' after the Collingwood president launched a scathing attack on the Giants over rumours they would try to sign Scott Pendlebury.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire had on Wednesday morning threatened to "go feral" and declare war on the Giants.

It was a forthright salvo on Triple M breakfast radio in Melbourne, even for a key AFL figure who lacks nothing in opinion.

McGuire's anger stemmed from scuttlebutt that star Magpie Pendlebury could be signed as one of the Giants' uncontracted players next year.

If GWS even dared to court the midfielder, McGuire vowed to make it his "life's ambition to destroy them and run them into the ground".

Sheedy's response was characteristically candid.

"I can't believe Eddie has called that he's going to get feral when he's already been feral most of his life," Sheedy said.

"It's quite amazing that an infant club, who has not even got a team together, is being attacked.

"He should be ashamed of himself attacking a kindergarten.

"Because one player at Collingwood hasn't signed a longer term contract, he's got his foot on the panic button.

"Signs of a nervous president.

"I like Eddie but this is an overaction after losing (coach Mick) Malthouse already.

"I hope he doesn't become a panic merchant. But at the moment he's showing signs of it ... stop smacking the baby in the cot."

Sheedy called into question McGuire's rancour about the threat of player poaching, pointing out that Nathan Buckley, Anthony Rocca and David Cloke all started their careers with other clubs before joining the Magpies.

"They should not be arcing up ... you know I can name more players, but I don't want to embarrass the club.

"I have a knowledge of over 40 years of the jungle rules of the AFL.

"The thieving, the battering, the who belted who, who played a shifty on which club."

Aside from his attack on the club, McGuire's description of the Giants' Main Arena as a "tumbleweed-blown ground" also caught the attention of Sheedy.

The four-time premiership coach suspects the side's base in Homebush will help strike a blow against McGuire's 71,271-strong membership base.

"Eddie has got thousands of supporters from other states following Collingwood, but we are going to contain that by making sure that people in NSW barrack for the Giants.

"We are going to restrict Collingwood fans in NSW, you will get no growth in Collingwood fans out of NSW now that this new club is in vogue.

"It is a matter of fact, we will actually outstrip Collingwood's membership, possibly in the next 10 to 20 years.

"Quicker than any other club in the history of any sporting club in all the codes.

"If we get this club right, he has got every right to be nervous."

The Giants start their preseason campaign with a preseason cup match against the 'Pies in Blacktown on February 18.

AAP