Opinion Maynard the Most Underrated Collingwood Player

[jathanas]

Brings a hardness to the side that we tend to overlook at times. I've always loved him and have argued over his value to the side with my son and brother during his early days.

I can only imagine how Toby Greene or any other forward would feel when they find out he's their direct opponent for the day.

The side needs more of that (Greenwood is the same).

 

[TKiL]

Dont take this the wrong way, as it’s said with love, but Maynard has an old Collingwood look about him. His mug would not be out of place in The Machine of the 1920s. It’s the look you see in the grainy old team photos, of young men from impoverished backgrounds, living in tiny dark and damp Abbotsford terraces, and looking like they’re ready to eat the opposition. Working in the local boot factory or brewery right up until 1 o’clock on Saturday before playing at Vic Park. And then having to face up to the silver spoons of Melbourne and Carlton. Any wonder they killed it.
Madgen looks a bit like that too.
Ignore all this, I’m a little delirious. Starting to think we can win the flag. Silly.

I know what you mean - think I need a cup of tea, a Bex and a good lie down
Booked to stay GF weekend out of town - can't stand the stress if we're in it - will have big telly in luxury cabin though

Maynard - ♥

 

[Vicky Park]

I know what you mean - think I need a cup of tea, a Bex and a good lie down
Booked to stay GF weekend out of town - can't stand the stress if we're in it - will have big telly in luxury cabin though

Three weeks ago I booked a holiday for the Prelim Final weekend, so utterly convinced was I that we’d not be there.

Anyway, a long way to go, not counting chickens and all that. But it’s nice to dream...

 

[ZEV]

I love Maynard, always seems to start games well and set the tone. Yesterday he and his backline cronies (Crisp, Howe, Greenwood, Magden) saved us in the first quarter and set us up to springboard Adelaide into oblivion. HE applies awesome defensive pressure and locks down on bigs and smalls so well and with ball in hand can be an absolute weapon. Great to see him take his chance yesterday and nail one from 50 as well

 

[magpie_marty]

How Brayden Maynard almost became Adelaide's first father-son draftee

Brayden Maynard was born in Adelaide, but lived there only briefly. His grandfather played for Fitzroy, then coached the club. His father started out at Melbourne, played for many years in Adelaide, and has worked at Carlton, the Demons and Crows.
Brayden will be in this year's draft, and has no idea which club he will end up at. But it could have been very different.

Had Peter Maynard played four more games for Glenelg, he would have reached 200 games. Had he not been dropped from the 1990 finals series, he would probably have played those four games, and Brayden would have been tied to Adelaide, and possibly become the club's first father-son draftee at the end of this season.
"It's a bit different. I had no idea about it until a few weeks ago," said Brayden, a rugged, robust midfielder. "I had to go and ask dad about it, get him to tell me the whole story."

The story goes like this. Peter Maynard grew up in Shepparton, joined the Demons as a zone player and managed eight games in four years before being told he wouldn't be kept on for 1982. At Glenelg, the midfielder was a part of two premierships, playing well enough and for long enough to become a Hall of Famer.

He was coached there for a while by Graham Campbell, Brayden's grandfather, who went there after finishing at Fitzroy. But a week out from the 1990 finals, his new coach told him to go back to the reserves and find some form. He did, but that was where he stayed.

Brayden was six years away from being born, and Peter went on to play another couple of seasons with Woodville-West Torrens, passing the 200-game mark easily, and no one knew what Adelaide's version of the father-son rule would look like, with the SANFL clubs ultimately divided between the two AFL teams.

Under those rules, players had to have reached 200 games before 1991 - when the Crows played their first game - for their sons to be eligible.

Peter Maynard played in the same Glenelg side as Ross Gibbs, who fell just short too, so Bryce went to Carlton as the No. 1 draft pick in 2006.

Coincidentally, the coach who dropped Peter was Graham Cornes, who became Adelaide's first coach the next year. Peter is now his boss, as general manager of Adelaide radio station 5AA.

"It's a strange one, a funny one really,'' Peter said. "But back then it was the last thing anyone would have been thinking about. All Cornesy said to me was go back, play in the seconds and get a bit of form, which was the correct decision, but I never made it back. And that's just footy, that's how things go.

"But it's funny how things work out, because if Brayden has an emotional attachment to any of the clubs, it would probably be Brisbane. From a club point of view, Fitzroy is the one in our family's history, much more so than the Crows."

That didn't stop Adelaide from asking the AFL earlier this year if there was any way it could have first call on Brayden - whether there were any pre-season, night series or other matches that hadn't been counted and could be tacked on to his tally. The Crows failed. But that Brayden never knew they were trying means he doesn't feel like something has been taken away from him, or that he has missed out.

He has grown up in Melbourne, he barracks for the Demons and he played his first handful of games for the Sandringham Dragons last year, squeezing into the side wherever he could and learning as much as possible from Josh Kelly, Christian Salem, Nathan Freeman and the other midfielders in preparation for playing a much bigger role in that part of the ground this year.

Brayden has enjoyed being one of the older kids this season, having more responsibility and trying to set an example in games. He will enjoy the challenge of doing it at a more demanding level on Sunday, in his second match for Vic Metro. He is a talented player in the same position as so many other kids: in the mix, trying to prove himself, intending to do whatever he can to make sure a club calls his name.

“It definitely would have been a bit different this year if the Crows had been there,'' he said. "It was pretty funny to find out how close it was and four games is nothing, but I guess that sort of stuff can just happen throughout footy careers.
"And either way I would still have had to prove myself, still had to compete as hard as I can every week and show people that I can do the right things, and improve, and hopefully get drafted.

“I’m like everyone else in the draft, I’m trying to play as well as I can every week and then I'll have to wait to see what happens. But you grow up knowing it’s going to be like that, and I don’t care which club I end up at, as long as I get to go somewhere and get my chance."

Emma Quayle

 

[Jelly Bean]

Yesterday as his best kicking game for the club. He was strong with his left, where usually he is only okay and sometimes has a couple of shockers.

If we are to go any distance in finals, he needs to play an attacking role with that boot from the backline.

 

[Jelly Bean]

Dad was one of those young men of the era Vicky, eldest son of a 15 child family. Living in Clifton Hill and apprenticed into the boot trade at 13. Became a master bootmaker by 18 and used to spend his Saturdays on the terrace at dear old Victoria park braving the wind in his Gaberdine coat, work boots and Collingwood skarf and beanie after finishing his Saturday morning shift at Julius Marlowe.

Told me long tales of drinking his thermos of Tomato soup and munching on his mums fresh baked bread whilst watching the machine tear all and sundry several new a-holes.

Told me too of the grinding poverty and pathetic desperation of those poor wights who couldn't manage to wrangle an apprenticeship anywhere and the backbreaking labor of those forced into factories to work for a pittance.

Collingwood was the lifeline, the path out of the slum to better life and an example for all to be proud of.

Thanks for sharing Jonbe - lovely post.

 

[biggiemediums]

This is one of those ones I'm proud of - I've been on bandwagon since day one. There was a mongrel there that was raw and unchecked. Now a few years later, add in experience, size, technique, footy IQ. He's a ******* gem - and I genuinely believe we'll see him in the midfield at times SMASHING it over the coming years IF we can add a few back.

 

[PieLebo87]

Why/when will Maynard play as the inside midfielder to support Adams?

I was expecting to see more midfield minutes this year.

 

[Gaspard]

Why/when will Maynard play as the inside midfielder to support Adams?

I was expecting to see more midfield minutes this year.

Maynard is an outstanding defender. He might be OK as a midfielder, but then we would have to find someone to fill the defensive void he would leave behind him. The recruiting choices we have made of late tell us that the team does not want to move him up the ground. I don't want them to either.

 

[PieLebo87]

Maynard is an outstanding defender. He might be OK as a midfielder, but then we would have to find someone to fill the defensive void he would leave behind him. The recruiting choices we have made of late tell us that the team does not want to move him up the ground. I don't want them to either.

His impact as a potential midfielder would be so much greater than as a lockdown defender.

Even at the present time, I feel he is wasted playing a far more negating role than he has in previous years when he’d provide plenty of run and carry.

That booming left foot, the speed, strength and beastly attack is wasted right now. He’d be unbelievable for Collingwood alongside Adams and Crisp in the centre, or even as Adams’ replacement.

 

[noideaatall]

Players like Maynard are the key to finals teams as much as the elite. Outside of a key forward I think we lack one mie hard nosed player, preferably running through the middle.

 

[Copeland]

Players like Maynard are the key to finals teams as much as the elite. Outside of a key forward I think we lack one mie hard nosed player, preferably running through the middle.

Hopefully thats JC

 

[Sea fog]

His impact as a potential midfielder would be so much greater than as a lockdown defender.

Even at the present time, I feel he is wasted playing a far more negating role than he has in previous years when he’d provide plenty of run and carry.

That booming left foot, the speed, strength and beastly attack is wasted right now. He’d be unbelievable for Collingwood alongside Adams and Crisp in the centre, or even as Adams’ replacement.

Agree mate, I think him and Moore are playing negative roles this year more than before and we do not get enough run from them.

 

[PieLebo87]

Agree mate, I think him and Moore are playing negative roles this year more than before and we do not get enough run from them.

Moore is more out of necessity without Roughead/Dean, but it’s been so bloody noticeable because he isn’t anywhere near his AA CHB form where he had more license to be offensive. Hasn’t been terrible though.

The Maynard one I don’t understand because although we’ve got IQ, Daicos and Noble doing the rebounding, Maynard can be damaging further up the field. Mind you, even IQ’s offensive prowess is down on what I’ve seen on previous years.

Maynard could be so much more. Then again, we don’t have that medium/small sized lock down defender to replace him.

 

[Sea fog]

Seems a really decent bloke who would make a good captain.

 

[sr36]

Moore is more out of necessity without Roughead/Dean, but it’s been so bloody noticeable because he isn’t anywhere near his AA CHB form where he had more license to be offensive. Hasn’t been terrible though.

The Maynard one I don’t understand because although we’ve got IQ, Daicos and Noble doing the rebounding, Maynard can be damaging further up the field. Mind you, even IQ’s offensive prowess is down on what I’ve seen on previous years.

Maynard could be so much more. Then again, we don’t have that medium/small sized lock down defender to replace him.

Ball's coming out of defence much more quickly and effectively than it has for years. Those blokes just aren't getting their stats padded by kicking it sideways to each other.

 

[jathanas]

Ball's coming out of defence much more quickly and effectively than it has for years. Those blokes just aren't getting their stats padded by kicking it sideways to each other.

 

[Sea fog]

Moore is more out of necessity without Roughead/Dean, but it’s been so bloody noticeable because he isn’t anywhere near his AA CHB form where he had more license to be offensive. Hasn’t been terrible though.

The Maynard one I don’t understand because although we’ve got IQ, Daicos and Noble doing the rebounding, Maynard can be damaging further up the field. Mind you, even IQ’s offensive prowess is down on what I’ve seen on previous years.

Maynard could be so much more. Then again, we don’t have that medium/small sized lock down defender to replace him.

I think Brayden does get wasted a bit and could be one of our most damaging mids with his power and kicking. Wonder if he has the tank. A bit of a wasted season for Moore stuck in the last line and Maynard looks a bit frustrated at times as well.

 

[manicpie]

His impact as a potential midfielder would be so much greater than as a lockdown defender.

Even at the present time, I feel he is wasted playing a far more negating role than he has in previous years when he’d provide plenty of run and carry.

That booming left foot, the speed, strength and beastly attack is wasted right now. He’d be unbelievable for Collingwood alongside Adams and Crisp in the centre, or even as Adams’ replacement.

I reckon there's a really good chance that the Coaches don't think Maynard can play midfield otherwise he would be playing there now. If you could turn a HB flanker into a gun midfielder you wouldn't hesitate

 

[sr36]

I think Brayden does get wasted a bit and could be one of our most damaging mids with his power and kicking. Wonder if he has the tank. A bit of a wasted season for Moore stuck in the last line and Maynard looks a bit frustrated at times as well.

You'd have to ask Jen, but I suspect that Bruzzy played some midfield during pre-season match sim and probably didn't excel - otherwise you'd think they would have given him a go in there.

 

[bunter]

Bruzzy suffers from brain fades, is awesome off half back where he can just blast it forward on a burst. Would be interesting to see him in mid role but take him away from his current role would be a gamble. Betting that Fly has some thoughts about it though. Imagine him rampaging through the middle with that raking kick? Rene Kink flash backs!

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

I reckon there's a really good chance that the Coaches don't think Maynard can play midfield otherwise he would be playing there now. If you could turn a HB flanker into a gun midfielder you wouldn't hesitate

Having lost Crisp from the backline I think they want to retain Maynard, the other cornerstone.

 

[Albert Parker]

To me, they've already advanced Crisp, as a staple of our defence, in order to play bigger bodied, run and carry player through the midfield.
Jordy has been taken from the forward line to do similar.

Crisp never had that lockdown defensive aspect to his game. We need that from Maynard, who can play on big or small.
While Daicos and Pendles have been pushed down back more in order to take kick outs and provide drive off half back with elite kicking, but aren't really strong in defensive efforts and tackling, Maynard is best left in defence for mine. Perhaps when Chaz Dean becomes available, we can possibly afford to release Maynard more into the middle, but I think we need to have someone who is strong in the contest in defence and willing to add some aggression at times. Moore and Howe are relatively lightly framed. Quaynor and Noble are doing well on the smaller types.

Not everyone needs to be tried in the midfield and Crisp and DeGoey are bigger bodied types who offer a bit of run and are a nice compliment to Adams and Lipinski who feed the ball out by hand. Daicos and Steele are performing well on the wings and sneaking forward for a goal on occasion. We have a much better mix of speed, run and size in the midfield than we did in the early part of last year.

 

[Timmy from Thomastown]

To me, they've already advanced Crisp, as a staple of our defence, in order to play bigger bodied, run and carry player through the midfield.
Jordy has been taken from the forward line to do similar.

Crisp never had that lockdown defensive aspect to his game. We need that from Maynard, who can play on big or small.
While Daicos and Pendles have been pushed down back more in order to take kick outs and provide drive off half back with elite kicking, but aren't really strong in defensive efforts and tackling, Maynard is best left in defence for mine. Perhaps when Chaz Dean becomes available, we can possibly afford to release Maynard more into the middle, but I think we need to have someone who is strong in the contest in defence and willing to add some aggression at times. Moore and Howe are relatively lightly framed. Quaynor and Noble are doing well on the smaller types.

Not everyone needs to be tried in the midfield and Crisp and DeGoey are bigger bodied types who offer a bit of run and are a nice compliment to Adams and Lipinski who feed the ball out by hand. Daicos and Steele are performing well on the wings and sneaking forward for a goal on occasion. We have a much better mix of speed, run and size in the midfield than we did in the early part of last year.

Exactly right. I’m sure Maynard would do fine in the midfield….. I just don’t see the necessity.