Brayden Maynard is free to play in Collingwood’s preliminary closing after the AFL Tribunal handed down its verdict on his tried smother of Angus Brayshaw.
After a marathon four-hour listening to the Tribunal cleared Maynard of tough conduct agreeing with Collingwood’s evaluation Maynard was entitled to go for the ball.
It means Maynard will likely be accessible for Collingwood’s preliminary closing and a possible Grand Final conflict.
In an try to smother the ball in Thursday night time’s qualifying closing Maynard ran and jumped up within the air in direction of the oncoming Brayshaw with Maynard turning his physique to brace for influence after lacking the ball.
Maynard collided with Brayshaw who lay unconscious on the MCG turf for 2 minutes and needed to be stretchered off the bottom earlier than spending the night time within the hospital and receiving mind scans in a while within the week.
The conflict divided opinion with many arguing Maynard was merely bracing for contact, whereas different specialists referred to as for him to be handed a major ban.
The Collingwood defender labelled the incident, which was graded extreme influence, excessive contact and careless conduct, a “footy act”.
At the tribunal, Maynard mentioned he was not anticipating Brayshaw to maneuver in the best way he did after kicking the ball, which was in direction of Maynard.
“No. I did not know what was going to happen after I went to make a football act,” he mentioned in response to the Tribunal’s questions.
Collingwood argued Maynard was entitled to leap up from the ball and mentioned Brayshaw’s actions contributed to the collision.
“Maynard was entitled to come forward off his player, he was entitled to jump when he saw Brayshaw about to kick,” Collingwood’s consultant Ben Ihle mentioned.
“Although we’re not critical of anyone moving or deviating from a path, that seems to be a factor that has contributed significantly to there being a collision.”
However, the AFL disagreed stating “Maynard’s conduct was unreasonable in the circumstances.”
“This type of contact isn’t common, leaping forward in the air with force to an opponent running in the opposite direction holds a key risk of badly injuring their opponent,” the AFL’s Andrew Woods mentioned.
“It’s a dangerous action to undertake & it breaches the duty of care owed to the other player.”
However, the Tribunal in the end got here down on the aspect of Maynard in an enormous boon to Collingwood’s Grand Final hopes.
Brayshaw will miss the Demons’ semi-final towards Carlton beneath concussion protocols and is not any certainty to return subsequent week if Melbourne advances.
More to Come
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
