AFL 2022: Collingwood won’t change instructions despite defender’s suspension

A two-match ban for a key defender won’t deter Collingwood coach Craig McRae from urging his players to go hard.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae won’t be telling his players to go soft. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

Collingwood defenders may have to adjust in the wake of Brayden Maynard’s two-match AFL ban, but new coach Craig McRae won’t stop them going “hard at the football”.

Maynard was banned after losing his appeal against a striking charge following a spoiling attempt that left GWS forward Daniel Lloyd concussed.

The AFL tribunal took just 50 minutes to dismiss Maynard’s appeal on Tuesday, rejecting the challenge to the careless grading of the incident.

The ban came amid a strong AFL crackdown on contact to the head and an increased focus on the potential of players’ actions to cause injury when incidents are reviewed by the match review panel.

McRae said players would have to adapt to the crackdown and how they went about attacking contests, but he won’t be telling defenders to avoid contact.

“The game itself is so 360 degree (and) it‘s really difficult to say, ‘Don’t go at the football hard’,” McRae said on Wednesday.

“There’s always going to be some form of contact in our game.

“I think the players do evolve though and there are interpretation changes within the game that we‘ve seen over the years, with the contact below the knees, and players do adapt very quickly.

“We‘ll have to adjust certain elements of it.”

Brayden Maynard is in the book after this incident with Daniel Lloyd.#AAMISeriespic.twitter.com/RlcnyFGO23

— AFL (@AFL) March 6, 2022

McRae conceded Maynard’s case might have helped the league “set the new agenda” when it came to looking to after players’ wellbeing, which is at the core of the crackdown.

He said the club met with AFL officials during the pre-season to understand what was required.

“This was probably the first case this year to set the new agenda, if you like,” McRae said.

“But thinking big picture, and if there are going to be less concussions and the wellbeing of the player is paramount, we’ll all be comfortable with that.”

Maynard‘s unavailability could be offset by the potential return of key defender Jeremy Howe from a groin injury that forced him to miss the club’s pre-season matches.

McRae said Isaac Quaynor, who missed the final practice match against GWS, would also return for next Friday’s season opener against St Kilda.

“At this stage it’s not dire straits,” McRae said.

“It’s still about 10 days before round 1, there is still a bit to play out, but we’ve got four or five coming back, which is exciting.”

The Magpies will have one final intra-club hitout on Friday, a week out from the clash with the Saints at Marvel Stadium.