AFL 2023: Mark Robinson on Collingwood’s qualifying final victory over Melbourne

As Brayden Maynard faces a nervous wait to learn whether he will be playing in Collingwood’s preliminary final, Mark Robinson says the match review officer only has one option.

Bobby Hill wraps up Jake Bowey. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

It had to be Brayden Maynard and Jack Viney, the spirit animals of their tribe.

As statements are laid out in the first quarter in the first final of September, they can come via callousness or by accident.

In a thunderous opening spectacle, Maynard laid out Angus Brayshaw.

It was quick and it was flush. It was behind play. And it hurt the Melbourne playmaker.

But it wasn’t dirty. Mind you, try to convince Melbourne fans of that.

If this was a spaghetti western and not a footy match, the Demons cohort would’ve wanted to hang the Magpie tough guy from the nearest elm tree in the MCG gardens.

They were boiling with anger and, in one misadventurous moment, the game had its first villain, and he was jeered by Melbourne fans – and cheered by Pies fans – for the remainder of the night.

Jack Viney and Brayden Maynard clash. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

As Brayshaw lay there for several minutes, attended by six or seven medical staff, and with a what-just-happened vibe around the MCG, Viney went at Maynard.

He didn’t know it was more of an accident than a crime.

And he didn’t care.

All he saw was his mate on the deck and the protestations from Maynard that it wasn’t an ol’ fashioned shirt-front.

They traded spittle, locked jumpers and collided heads, and Viney also took a swing at Will Hoskin-Elliott and thankfully it missed.

Tom Mitchell (left) and Brayden Maynard after Collingwood’s victory. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

The Maynard hit on Brayshaw will be scrutinised heavily, to the point of nausea, until the AFL releases its findings on Friday.

The MRO should find that Maynard was in the air and attempting to spoil, that he had his arms outstretched, that Brayshaw kicked the ball and momentum kept him moving forward, that Maynard braced to defend himself and, unlucky for Brayshaw, the collision happened and he took a hit to the head.

It wasn’t a bump. And it would be ridiculous to charge him with unduly rough play.

If he is charged, the tribunal will run Tuesday and, if needed, the appeal will be run Thursday, which other than the nonsense which besieged Toby Bedford’s 10-day ordeal, is the customary course.

Jordan De Goey and Brayden Maynard close in on Alex Neal-Bullen. Picture: Michael Klein

Maynard told Channel 7 last night it was “a footy act”.

“I came forward, I jumped to smother the ball and, yeah, unfortunately I just got him on the way down,” he said.

“So I don’t know. We’ll have to wait and see what happens. But it’s all love.

“I absolutely love that guy to bits. So yeah, it’s shattering what happened.

“It is stressful. But we’ve sort of got to move on.

“It’s a bloody intense game. It requires a lot mentally and also physically. So that’s why we’ve built for this.”

Boy, it was an electric moment.

Jack Viney had his jumper ripped off in the scuffle. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

In fact, it was a sizzling first quarter of events and tension, which was not surprising, because it was a final and the combatants had two weeks of mental preparation.

In what seemed like catastrophe after catastrophe, as Viney and Maynard shaped up, Jordan De Goey limped from the ground with a knee injury, Christian Petracca and Tom Mitchell had heated words and Mitchell ended up on the ground, and Daniel McStay was off the field doing a concussion test.

He was cracked in the head by Jacob van Rooyen’s elbow-bicep and he will miss next week with suspension.

Added to Brayshaw, who will also miss next week with concussion, the Demons suddenly are soldiers down and in a cutthroat final.

The Pies dominated the first quarter and were +10 in contested ball, before Melbourne rallied in the second quarter and won contested ball by three.

Christian Salem and Pat Lipinski collide. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

They couldn’t score though. Their halftime score of 2.4 was the lowest half of their season.

In the end, were the Pies lucky to hang on? Maybe, because they did their damage early and the Demons continued to come at them.

Petracca had seven touches in the first half and 22 in the second. Oliver had a game-high 31 touches and 11 clearances and Max Gawn was best afield.

For Collingwood, Isaac Quaynor was enormous in the fourth quarter, Bobby Hill kicked three goals and was troubled out the back, and old heads Steele Sidebottom and Hoskin-Elliott were important.

Melbourne recovered from being jittery early to being bitterly wasteful in front of goal after halftime. In fact, it cost them the game.

At one stage in the third quarter, they had seven consecutive shots at goal and kicked 1.6.

In the final quarter, when they surged, Tom McDonald scrambled a goal from near the goalpost. The score was 58-39.

Joel Smith took a mark and kicked a goal. Score 58-45.

Steven May closes in on Mason Cox. Picture: Michael Klein

McDonald lost Darcy Moore and marked 20m from goal. He missed. Score 60-47.

Fritsch marked and kicked out of bounds. Score 60-47

Trent Rivers took a mark and kicked from 55m. He missed again. Score 60-47

Fritsch out-marked Moore and kicked a dribble goal. Score 60-53.

Bobby Hill was instrumental for the Magpies. Picture: Michael Klein

Kozzie Picket gathered and snapped. It went out of bounds on the full. Score 60-53.

It was painful to watch.

Oliver was outstanding, as was Petracca after halftime, and the coach Simon Goodwin would be pleased with McDonald’s job on Moore.

It means little now. Plaudits for fighting the fight, but Goodwin said in the pre-game this game would be decided by how the moments were handled.

And the Demons failed the test. Jittery and then wasteful isn’t the profile you want in a qualifying final.

ROBBO’S VOTES

3. Max Gawn (Melb)

2. Bobby Hill (Collingwood)

1. Clayton Oliver (Melb)

Originally published as AFL 2023: Mark Robinson on Collingwood’s qualifying final victory over Melbourne