‘We love him’: Pies wrapping arms around Brayden Maynard amid ‘unfortunate’ personal situation

Collingwood coach Craig McRae has opened up on defender Brayden Maynard’s “unfortunate” off-field situation.

Craig McRae touched on Brayden Maynard's personal struggles after Collingwood's King's Birthday win over the Demons.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae has reflected on his side’s stirring King’s Birthday win over Melbourne, as well as touched on a defender’s “unfortunate” off-field situation.

The Magpies led at every change in their 38-point win on Monday afternoon, despite absorbing early attacking pressure from the Demons.

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The win lifts ‘Fly’s Pies inside the top eight, having claimed their sixth win of the season from 12 games.

After its first loss since Round 2 last Friday against the Bulldogs, Collingwood returned to winning ways in a scrappy but convincing triumph at the MCG.

Brayden Maynard was met with hostility from Melbourne supporters in the first meeting between the Magpies and Demons since the defender’s collision with the now-retired Angus Brayshaw.

Maynard in action for the Pies. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

It didn’t deter the hard-nosed premiership backman, however, who was his typical interrupting self out on the MCG, crashing into opposition bodies — in controlled, legal fashion.

Post-game, McRae briefly touched on Maynard’s “unfortunate” current circumstances outside of football.

“We have an opportunity to play on this day, it has bigger meaning for some,” McRae said.

“He (Maynard) has had a lot going on this week — I won’t share the details of it, but off the field it’s been really hard for him.

“I’m sure he wanted to put on a good performance for stuff that’s happened outside of here. He’s a proud man and he played exceptionally well. We love him.”

Quizzed for further details, McRae swiftly moved onto the next topic.

“I’ll leave it,” he said. “It’s unfortunate, what’s happened in his private life. I’ll leave it at that.”

Asked about the need to emphasise controlled aggression against a side that was going to come out firing, McRae stated he “knew” what his side was going to be met with on King’s Birthday.

“It (staying controlled) is what we wanted the whole group to be, and we knew there’d be a response,” McRae said.

“They’re a proud group, I know, watching them from afar, you just go ‘I’m worried (about) what’s coming’. You just knew there’d be a response.

“I didn’t want to overplay it, but we had to be ready for what was coming on the rebound. I’m proud of us to stay in that moment and absorb it and accept what was coming, and then still play our way — it was a really pleasing start.

“You need to start well against a team that wants to come out breathing fire.”

Craig McRae. Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

On the treatment Maynard received from the Demons crowd, McRae said: “I thought they were cheers, mate. I only heard cheers.”

The importance of winning while undermanned and inexperienced isn’t lost on Collingwood’s coach, as the side prepares for a Round 14 meeting with North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium this Sunday.

“Today was a significant outcome,” McRae said. “We’ve been working towards swimming against the current — I’ve said that before around our injury list.

“There’s no one coming back next week. This same group’s had opportunities, and we’ve been fighting. We’ve been fighting.

“We’re maybe not quite good enough here or there in the last few games, and today was a better four-quarter performance from some of those younger guys, and senior guys kept the glue together a little more.

“It’s been a tough period for us, and we’re getting through it, and it’s nice to get some nourishment today, which we didn’t get last week.”

Originally published as ‘We love him’: Pies wrapping arms around Brayden Maynard amid ‘unfortunate’ personal situation