Source :- PERTH NOW NEWS
Collingwood is backing fearless defender Brayden Maynard to be a key part of its surge to September despite likely needing surgery at season’s end.
Maynard dislocated his shoulder twice in the Magpies’ narrow loss to Melbourne on King’s Birthday.
But the Magpies’ “spiritual leader” has made a swift recovery and will play against Gold Coast Suns this weekend.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae said Maynard had put in tireless work to be fit in such a short time.
“Yeah, not many can do what he does and he plays such a combative game that we just need him to be right,” McRae said on Thursday.
“He’s done a lot of work behind the scenes, getting some strength in that arm, at some stage I would be surprised if he doesn’t need an operation.
“There is a bit of risk attached to any of these injuries, hopefully he’s done enough work to suggest he’s going to be OK.
“Historically that’s the case with these things (post-season surgery), occasionally they can pop out but he’s done some strengthening work.
“Now it’s just a matter of seeing how it goes in the battle.”
Maynard and debutant Liam Puncher headline the Magpies’ inclusions but they will be without Isaac Quaynor.
“(Quaynor has) had a lingering foot problem that suggests he’s just not quite there this week, so he won’t play,” McRae said.
“It’s one of those things, he did the warm up and didn’t quite feel right so we’ll have to see how that goes, obviously the travel and other parts.
“Ideally this time next week we see his name up to play.”
Collingwood has won two successive matches but its opponent – Gold Coast Suns – has squandered its past four.
The Magpies are two points clear of the Suns in 11th place, accentuating the importance of this weekend’s clash.
McRae dismissed talk of do-or-die but admitted the clock is starting to tick on the contenders’ season.
“There’s time, we always have time, but you get to certain parts where time runs out,” he said.
“We’ve said that for the last month, we’ve been playing really good footy but not getting wins.
“There comes a time where you’ve got to win, eight weeks to go is there? Every week counts (now), especially when you’re playing teams around you on the ladder.”
