Updated ,first published
Collingwood vice captain Brayden Maynard is almost certain to be sent straight to the AFL Tribunal after making contact with an umpire while engaging in a bitter spat with an opponent during his team’s six-point win over Gold Coast.
In a thrilling finish to Saturday’s match at People First Stadium, Sun Ben Long kicked a goal with 24 seconds remaining to reduce the margin to a straight kick.
But Collingwood held firm in the next two stoppages, with superstar midfielder Nick Daicos winning a free kick for a high tackle to help the Magpies hold on for a 15.14 (104) to 15.8 (98) win.
Collingwood’s third win in a row improved their season record to 8-1-7, while Gold Coast’s sixth loss on the trot has left them struggling at 7-9.
But the biggest talking point out of the match was Maynard’s brain fade during his physical battle with Long.
The Gold Coast star became enemy No.1 among Collingwood players after flooring Maynard with a cheap shot just five seconds before half-time.
Maynard had been fronting up to Bailey Humphrey after a Suns goal when Long came in from the side to hit the Magpie defender in the ribs with a swinging arm.
The incident sparked a wild all-in melee, with shoes lost and the jumper of Collingwood defender Billy Frampton torn – all while Maynard lay crumpled on the turf in pain.
When Maynard was finally able to get to his feet in time for the next centre ball-up, he started mouthing off at Long, no doubt vowing revenge.
Seconds later the half-time siren sounded, with Maynard immediately sprinting across to Long to resume their battle.
Umpire Nick Brown could see the trouble coming and was standing in front of Long.
As Maynard rushed in, he placed two hands in Brown’s back to nudge the umpire out of the way so that he could get to Long.
GWS captain Toby Greene was handed a six-match ban in 2021 for intentionally making contact with an umpire, and while that incident was more serious than Maynard’s, the Magpies defender is also set to land in hot water.
“It could be the dumbest thing we’ve seen for the year,” North Melbourne great David King said on the Kayo coverage.
“The umpires are a no-go zone.
“This is irresponsible, and it’s a month for me.”
Maynard was left with several visible scratches on his neck and arms after the melees.
But Maynard and Long seemingly made peace after the match, with the pair sharing an embrace and a chat.
Maynard revelled in his tit-for-tat with Long.
“If you’re going to come hit me cheaply, you’re going to get something back,” Maynard said after the match.
“It’s all part of the game. I didn’t mind it really. I think I might have a broken rib.”
Collingwood coach Craig McRae said he didn’t see Maynard’s touch on the umpire, but he wasn’t impressed by Long’s cheap shot.
“I wasn’t happy with a guy getting hit off the ball,” McRae said.
Daicos, who finished with 30 disposals, eight clearances and one goal, praised Maynard for his efforts.
“He’s our spiritual leader,” Daicos said.
“Any time they go at him, we’ve got to stick up for him. He’s the first bloke who sticks up for all of us.”
Gold Coast coach Damien Hardwick was tight-lipped when asked about Long’s hit on Maynard.
“I’m not going to comment on it, that’s the AFL’s job,” Hardwick said.
– AAP
Fans head for the record books after Hawks mount 12-goal comeback to lose
Steve Barrett
The record books were being hurriedly scurried through, twice, in Launceston, as Hawthorn followed one of the most horrific first halves in recent memory with a fightback against Melbourne that defied logic or precedent.
The Hawks fell in a disastrous 96-point hole midway through the third quarter before summoning 12 straight goals to close to within 23 points.
In the end, they were denied by a combination of the game clock and their woeful first half.
Speaking in the aftermath, Hawks coach Sam Mitchell refused to hang his hat on the Hawks’ blistering late surge, instead focusing on the earlier humiliation which proved terminal in their 35-point loss, 19.11 (125) to 14.6 (90).
The Hawks’ tidal wave breathed some excitement into the contest, but it all came far too late and with too much serious damage already inflicted.
“We look at the first half and one team had all their ducks in a row, came ready to play and the other team didn’t,” he said.
“There were too many problems in the game.
“Clearances were 29-8 at half-time … we kicked one goal, and we couldn’t stop their scoring.
“We had problems in every department of the ground and every phase.
“There will be some of us who will want to look at the second half, but I think we need to be realistic about where we’re at today.
“The first half shows that, in a competition like this, if you don’t turn up ready to play, then you’ll get taught a lesson, which we did.”
Hawthorn were dealt a blow late in the week when defender Josh Battle underwent surgery to remove his appendix, joining fellow first-choicers Nick Watson, Karl Amon and Ned Reeves in the list of outs.
But personnel alone cannot excuse how abject the Hawks were for more than an hour out of the gates at a venue long forged as a home-away-from-home fortress. They resembled witches hats and were treated with appropriate contempt by Melbourne.
While wiping aside the merits of his team’s comeback, Mitchell was also firm in his belief that the horrific first half was not a true reflection of Hawthorn’s current standing.
“I’d like to think that’s not where we’re at,” he said.
“We’ve continued to be a work in progress.
“We had some changes to the side which took us a little while to settle into.
“We didn’t perform well in any phase of the game, and we recognise we’ve got some work to do to be the best side in the competition, which is what we strive for, but we’re not there yet.
“Melbourne aren’t playing for a lot after three-quarter-time – they’ve got the game sewn up pretty much.
“We kicked a few good goals and did a few nice things, but I wouldn’t read too much into it.
“I don’t think that was the reality of the game.”
Demons coach Steven King, similarly, didn’t want to dwell on the last 30 or so minutes of action.
“[UTAS Stadium is] not an easy place to come down and win,” he said.
“[We] walk away with four points, walk away winning interstate, walk away with a pretty good three quarters of footy.
“[I’m] just so happy and thrilled with the way the boys set the tone of the game early.
“You’re never sure what you’re going to get off a bye, but the things we sort of put in place and focused on to try and refine Demon football I thought came to life for three quarters.
“[In] the last quarter – we know Hawthorn would come out and have a run at it [the deficit].
“As a coach, if you’d told me we’d win by 35 points before we started, I’d take it, but [there are] just some good opportunities for us to probably sit back and learn from that – when momentum’s against us.”
Speaking to Kayo Sports directly after the final siren, Demons skipper Max Gawn attempted to make sense of what had just taken place.
“Their third quarter was immense – I think their third quarter set up their fourth, to be honest,” he said.
“Momentum’s a funny thing.”
The record books will show a seemingly routine 35-point victory to Melbourne. They quite conceivable could have shown almost anything else.
Essendon’s record for the biggest comeback in VFL/AFL history to win (69 points against North Melbourne in 2001) remains intact.
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