Uɴʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴀʙʟᴇ Cᴏʟʟɪɴɢᴡᴏᴏᴅ Fᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ ᴄʟᴜʙ Aᴜꜱꜱɪᴇ ꜰᴀɴꜱ ɪɴ ᴛᴇᴀʀꜱ ᴅᴜᴇ ᴛᴏ…

Brayden Maynard’s controversial incident with Angus Brayshaw has been thrust back into the spotlight, after the Collingwood vice-captain made the most of his reprieve in the AFL grand final on Saturday. Maynard helped the Magpies win their first premiership since 2010 as Collingwood prevailed 12.18 (90) to 13.8 (86) over the Brisbane Lions.

But for many, the sight of Maynard celebrating with his premiership medal and the grand final cup left a sour taste in the mouth. Maynard knocked out Brayshaw in Collingwood’s win over Melbourne in the first week of the finals and was referred directly to the AFL tribunal

But that whole week was really, really challenging. It was probably the only thing I thought about. I tried to stay off social media, which I was really good at. I stayed off the news, but just thinking about the ‘what-ifs’, if I do miss a prelim, if I do potentially miss a grand final.

“That really was hurting me deep and I didn’t know what to think, to handle it. I had a lot of conversations with (sports psychologist) Jacqui (Louder) and she helped me a lot.”

But that whole week was really, really challenging. It was probably the only thing I thought about. I tried to stay off social media, which I was really good at. I stayed off the news, but just thinking about the ‘what-ifs’, if I do miss a prelim, if I do potentially miss a grand final.

“That really was hurting me deep and I didn’t know what to think, to handle it. I had a lot of conversations with (sports psychologist) Jacqui (Louder) and she helped me a lot.”

But that whole week was really, really challenging. It was probably the only thing I thought about. I tried to stay off social media, which I was really good at. I stayed off the news, but just thinking about the ‘what-ifs’, if I do miss a prelim, if I do potentially miss a grand final.

“That really was hurting me deep and I didn’t know what to think, to handle it. I had a lot of conversations with (sports psychologist) Jacqui (Louder) and she helped me a lot.”