Collingwood chant sparks outrage after Brayden Maynard hit on Angus Brayshaw

Chants from Collingwood followers throughout Thursday night time’s blockbuster qualifying last in opposition to Melbourne have been slammed as “totally disrespectful”, “merciless” and “despicable”.

The controversial second got here when Collingwood’s Brayden Maynard laid out Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw in an unpleasant first quarter incident.

The Collingwood star leapt ahead to aim a smother and caught Brayshaw’s head together with his braced shoulder, leaving the Demons star knocked out chilly.

Whereas Brayshaw was immobile mendacity on the turf, the normal drawn out cry of “Collingwood” echoed across the MCG.

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Range in sport advocate Rana Hussain was furious, regardless of giving Maynard the advantage of the doubt for the bump itself.

“The Maynard incident regarded fairly unintentional,” Hussain mentioned on Twitter.

“What was thoughts blowing was the ‘Collingwood’ chant that erupted from the gang as Brayshaw laid out flat and immobile. Despicable. That felt totally disrespectful and merciless really.”

Information Corp’s Agostino Giramondo agreed, saying it ran counter to a lot of the constructive cultural work facilitated by Collingwood’s government management.

“I used to be there and it was disturbing to listen to that chant,” Giramondo wrote.

“That behaviour undermines the wonderful work performed by Jeff Browne, Craig Kelly and Craig McRae. All good individuals who I doubt would have been pleased with it.”

One fan mentioned it was typical of soccer followers typically, saying: “AFL video games have been higher in empty stadiums with out the 90k ferals.”

One other Demons fan famous Brayshaw’s lengthy historical past of concussion, which is the rationale he sports activities a helmet throughout video games.

“I simply can’t think about EVER behaving this manner about an unconscious opposition participant, particularly one with a historical past of concussion,” the fan wrote.

“Don’t followers of each groups often present fundamental concern for a severely injured participant? It was actually sickening to be sincere. Angus deserves higher.

“It occurred over the opposite aspect of the bottom from me, and the Collingwood chanting was so loud that I initially assumed Maynard was the one who’d been damage. I’d be so embarrassed if Dees followers did that!”

Some followers have defended the chants, saying that they have been in response to boos ringing out throughout the bottom.

“It was to drown out the booing of an unintentional act,” mentioned one fan in reply to Hussain.

One other Collingwood fan was nonplussed by the commotion.

“There was a scuffle after the incident and Melbourne followers began booing Maynard so our followers began chanting,” they wrote.

“The followers bought into it, nothing to do with Brayshaw being knocked out, transfer on.”

Hussain was emphatic in her reply to the strategies that the behaviour from some Collingwood followers was acceptable.

“It’s about respect,” she mentioned.

“A person is mendacity on the bottom unconscious, his household watching on & but ‘defending’ your participant is extra necessary trigger you heard some boos? Significantly.

“I wouldn’t boo Maynard & I wouldn’t cheer him even whereas a man is laid out unconscious.”

Brayshaw took an prolonged break from the game in 2016 over his historical past of head trauma, sitting out half of his second yr and the vast majority of 2017 after struggling 4 concussions within the area of 12 months.

In 2018, Brayshaw’s brother Andrew was additionally violently struck within the face in an off-the-ball incident by West Coast’s Andrew Gaff, leaving the youthful Brayshaw with a fractured jaw and three dislodged tooth.

Maynard himself has since defended the incident as a “footy act”, chatting with Channel 7 post-match after being positioned on report for the hit.

“I don’t wish to say an excessive amount of, but it surely’s a footy act,” Maynard mentioned.

“I got here ahead, I jumped to smother the ball and sadly I simply bought him on the way in which down.

“We’ll have to attend and see what occurs, but it surely’s all love, I completely love that man to bits. It’s shattering what occurred.”

Collingwood coach Craig McRae mentioned he hoped Brayshaw was okay.

“I’ve caught it on a cellphone, one view of it, one angle, seems to be like he’s within the air … really, I’ll return a step – I hope Angus is OK,” McRae mentioned when requested concerning the collision within the post-match press-conference.

“I’ve met him a few instances socially, he’s a ripping man, and hopefully this isn’t too unhealthy for him, as a result of he’s had a number of concussions.

“Then the act itself, it didn’t appear to be it had a lot malice, however I’ll go away it as much as others to resolve whether or not that’s worthy of a suspension or not.”

With their 9.6 (60) to 7.11 (53) win over the Dees, Collingwood earn themselves per week’s break and are into the preliminary last, the place they sit up for welcoming again celebrity Nick Daicos from a knee damage.

Melbourne will face the winner of Friday night time’s elimination last between Carlton and Sydney for a spot within the different preliminary last.