Collingwood star Brayden Maynard has spoken publicly for the primary time since his incident with Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw.
Maynard was on the centre of the AFL highlight all week lengthy after being despatched on to the Tribunal following his hit on Brayshaw within the opening quarter of the qualifying ultimate conflict.
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Brayshaw was left unconscious and took no additional half within the match, together with his future within the recreation doubtlessly up within the air.
Maynard confronted the AFL Tribunal the place after a prolonged listening to he was cleared of any wrongdoing, releasing him to participate in Collingwood’s preliminary ultimate.
On Friday, the Pies defender fronted the media, the place he addressed the problem for the primary time.
“I’m glad it’s all done, it’s been a s**tshow this past week so just glad everything is done,” he mentioned.
“Not going to lie it’s been a very big week, especially mentally. I don’t want to touch on it too much but I had a few moments there where I wasn’t going great but my sole focus has been on Angus and his family.
“Some of the stuff, I try my best to stay off of the media and out of it but it’s hard when there is a lot going on.
“I’ve tried my best to just move on and I’m glad it’s done.
“I’ve been really close with Angus for a while, I’ve checked up on him a couple of times. I love the guy like I said and it’s been pretty full on. I’m just glad to put it to bed and off to the side now.”
A go to to Brayshaw all through the week reportedly ruffled some Melbourne gamers feathers, Maynard mentioned he was there solely to examine on his mate.
“I just wanted to check on his wellbeing, his welfare and on Danielle (Frawley, Angus’ fiancee) as well although she wasn’t there,” he mentioned.
“My love and my support and my genuine care is for Angus’ wellbeing and his families.
“I don’t know why or how some of the stories have come out, but when I saw some of them I thought what the hell is that.
“I know what I did is right and just the media all around it I’ve just tried to block it out which I’ve been able to do, but it does get to a stage where it does take a toll and I’ve done my best to forget about it.”
While the AFL finally elected to not attraction the Tribunal’s resolution, they did flag a evaluation of gamers’ obligation of care in direction of their opponents will happen earlier than the 2024 season.
A league assertion flagged a evaluation of how incidents like Maynard’s tried smother can be policed heading into subsequent season.
“The health and safety of players in our game will always be the AFL’s priority and regardless of the tribunal outcome this incident will be subject to close examination at the end of the season,” the assertion learn.
AFL soccer boss Laura Kane mentioned if guidelines had been tweaked round gamers’ obligation of care over the low season, it might not be merely to deal with the particular situation involving Maynard and Brayshaw.
“We review all rules and regulations, so the process that we go through at the end of each season is not contained to one incident, necessarily,” she mentioned.
Source: www.news.com.au
