The shirtfront Brayden Maynard didn’t see coming

Maynard was taken by the Magpies at No.30 in the 2014 draft, a fruitful one for the Magpies who had already enlisted Jordan De Goey and Darcy Moore. He admits he was rough-edged. “I didn’t really have my work-life balance in order,” he said. “I had a few conversations early days that helped shape me into the man I am today.

“When you come out of school straight into the AFL system, it hits you between the eyes pretty quickly. You’ve got to grow up pretty fast.

“I didn’t really go too well at school, so football was my one wood. I had to give it the biggest crack. I had to really give everything to football. And I think I have so far – and I’ve got a lot more to give.”

Maynard says the signal lesson he has learned along the way is not to take football too seriously. “There’s a lot more to life than football,” he said. “Since Fly [coach Craig McRae] came in, we’ve had this really relaxed and fun culture. I’m not saying any other culture I’ve been part of wasn’t fun, but in this group, we’ve had a lot of fun in what we do.

“I’ve had a bit of stuff going on outside of football, which has made me realise that football is not everything.”

This holistic outlook belies the almost possessed figure Maynard cuts on game day. “It’s a bit of white-line fever,” he said. “I do get pretty angry and pretty aggressive when I cross that white line. But that’s just part of who I am. I wouldn’t want it any other way and I don’t think I’d be here today if I didn’t have that sort of balance.”

The contest is his snuff still. He remembered fondly battles with GWS skipper Toby Greene and West Coast’s Liam Ryan. “I have a great amount of respect for those guys, but once I’m out there, I don’t fear anyone,” he said. Last year’s premiership aside, what he loves best is close games. He’s at the right club.

Collingwood are having another death-defying season. Despite a rash of injuries and a much-turned-over team, they’ve lost only one of their past 10 matches and sit in sixth place.

“Whoever’s come in has played their role to a tee,” Maynard said. “It’s so fun being out there, especially when you know you don’t have your best team in, but you’re sort of playing your best football as a collective. I’m really proud of the boys.”

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