Melbourne has misplaced gun midfielder Angus Brayshaw to concussion 5 minutes into its qualifying remaining to Collingwood in an incident which might probably land Magpie Brayden Maynard on the tribunal subsequent week and finish his season.
Brayshaw was stretchered off after he copped a excessive bump from Maynard early within the opening time period, persevering with Brayshaw’s nightmare concussion historical past.
It was one of many largest moments of the 2023 season as a tough conduct cost might sideline Maynard for 3 matches in an enormous blow to Collingwood’s premiership hopes.
MRO officer Michael Christian will grade the incident on Saturday afternoon as Maynard’s premiership desires hold within the stability.
Brayshaw was subbed out of the sport and changed by substitute Bailey Laurie following the Maynard hit.
The incident prompted a melee as Melbourne powerful however Jack Viney remonstrated straight with Maynard in a wild opening.
A concussion would rule Brayshaw out of subsequent week’s semi-final if Melbourne lose to the Magpies on Thursday night time.
However the penalties may very well be vital for Maynard who jumped off the bottom to smother Brayshaw’s kick however then made contact along with his shoulder to Brayshaw’s head.
It’s a troublesome name for match evaluation officer Michael Christian as Maynard had jumped off the bottom earlier than Brayshaw had kicked the footy however rotated barely in order that his shoulder made contact with Brayshaw’s head.
Nonetheless there’s a glimmer of hope for Maynard because the match evaluation officer might decide that Maynard solely rotated to guard himself.
The AFL might rule in favour of Maynard within the perception it was a real try to smother after which defend himself on the way in which does as he collided with Brayshaw.
It’s excessive stakes because the incident may be graded as careless conduct, extreme impression and excessive contact, pending Christian’s name.
A 3-match ban might finish Maynard’s season and wipe him out of the membership’s premiership mission.
It might be a heartbreaking end result for Maynard who is among the greatest small defenders within the sport and was named captain in Darcy Moore’s absence.
Patrick Dangerfield instructed Channel 7: “For my part, there’s nothing on this.”
GRUNDY IN FRAME AS VAN ROOYEN ELBOW LIKELY TO PROVE COSTLY
Melbourne ahead Jacob van Rooyan’s finals marketing campaign is in jeopardy after an elbow on Dan McStay, which noticed the Collingwood large man going off the sphere for a concussion check.
McStay had virtually overrun the ball when van Rooyan ran at him, making contact earlier than the Magpies’ medicos instantly took him from the bottom.
Footy nice Jason Dunstall mentioned van Rooyan was “in actual bother” as he had his eyes on McStay as he made contact with him.
“He’s making an attempt to be aggressive and I feel he acquired it extremely flawed,” Dunstall mentioned on Fox Footy.
David King added: “You simply can’t try this. An elbow to the chin, it doesn’t get far more simple than that.”
AFL ON STANDBY AMID LIGHTNING THREAT
The AFL is on standby for doable lightning delays throughout Thursday night time’s Collingwood-Melbourne qualifying remaining conflict as wild climate lashed the MCG within the countdown to the launch of the 2023 finals.
At this stage, officers are assured the match will begin on time, however they’re carefully watching the radar.
Below the availability of match day guidelines, if there’s any lightning inside 10km of the bottom, the league’s newly appointed Govt Normal Supervisor of soccer Laura Kane has the ability to cease the match for at least 20 minutes to permit the climate hazard to cross.
There would have to be a suggestion that it was secure to renew earlier than the gamers can be allowed again onto the bottom.
There is no such thing as a lower off to recommencing the match, with the choice in Kane’s fingers.
League officers delayed the warm-up of each side as heavy rain hit the bottom shortly after 6pm, with some flashes of lightning within the background.
The groups ended up getting out on the bottom at round 6.40pm because the rain eased off.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae mentioned the Magpies had thought of at match committee whether or not to take their two ruckmen Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox into the conflict.
“We mentioned it in match committee (conferences), we’ll need to weigh up how efficient it’s for us, and we might contemplate subbing one in every of them out,” McRae mentioned on Fox Footy.
The Spherical 21, 2021 conflict between Melbourne and West Coast in Perth was stopped for 29 minutes attributable to lightning. On the time of the delay, the Demons led by 33 factors earlier than the Eagles kicked 4 unanswered targets to lose by solely 9 factors.
WILL DEES MAKE MCRAE EAT HIS WORDS?
Sam Landsberger
“See you in a few weeks”.
It’s the off the cuff parting line to reporters from Collingwood coach Craig McRae that has fired up an already flammable Melbourne forward of tonight’s qualifying final blockbuster at the MCG.
McRae had spent one of the best a part of 10 minutes throughout his Tuesday press convention locking in Darcy Cameron and Mason Cox, giving an damage replace on Nick Daicos and inspiring children to put on their black and white at college this week.
WATCH THE VIDEO IN THE PLAYER ABOVE
Nevertheless it was the throw away remark as he signed off his presser -and the inference the Magpies would knock off Melbourne and guide a house preliminary remaining in a fortnight – that made its method throughout Olympic Park to the Demons AAMI Park coaching base
Some on the Demons didn’t adore it
That’s to not say they’re being treasured or ‘privately seething’, as they are saying … however it might be honest to say some senior folks, and maybe gamers, too, weren’t impressed.
McRae has brazenly said this yr that he likes the theatre of soccer, and he has definitely added to it for the beginning of September.
Defender Brayden Maynard added spice to Collingwood’s top-of-the-table conflict towards Port Adelaide in July when he declared: “We’re sitting on high of the ladder for a motive”.
Energy coach Ken Hinkley fired again: “They’re one of the best staff within the competitors. They’ve mentioned that themselves publicly. July is an effective time to be ranked one”.
Put up-match, after one other epic come-from-behind win, McRae mentioned we shouldn’t “get treasured” about such commentary.
“I feel we must always embrace the theatre of footy and permit Brayden Maynard to simply be himself, to be genuine,” McRae mentioned.
“What’s flawed with that? That’s simply him.
“Why would we put that in a field and say, ‘We higher not say that as a result of it would hearth the opposition up.”
Keep in mind final yr Demon Ed Langdon declared Collingwood was “all duck, no dinner”?
Maynard was fast to put into Langdon bodily on an evening the Pies upset the Demons.
Maynard instructed the Herald Solar this week: “That’s all up to now now. I feel we handled that the way in which we must always’ve”.
Will probably be fascinating to see how the Demons take care of any emotion hooked up to McRae’s quip tonight.
Initially revealed as AFL qualifying final: Collingwood defeats Melbourne, Brayden Maynard to face MRO scrutiny
