Collingwood premiership star Brayden Maynard found himself under attack on Thursday following the shock retirement of Angus Brayshaw.
The Melbourne midfielder was forced to hang up the boots after his latest series of brain scans following his concussion in last year’s qualifying final.
The only place to watch every game of the AFL Pre-Season live is Fox Footy, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >
The 28-year-old’s medical team had cleared him to return to pre-season training due to the results of previous scans, but troubling findings from the latest examination had forced the decision to step away.
He said the damage was due to the collision with an airborne Maynard which left him unconscious on the MCG turf in an incident which sparked fierce debate on the AFL’s protection of players and prompted a rule change ahead of the 2024 season.
News of Brayshaw’s retirement was felt across the football community, but many saw it as an opportunity to call out Maynard.
Fans were quick to take aim at the Pies defender with his Instagram account being bombarded with comments blaming him for bringing an early end to Brayshaw’s career.
One user wrote: “Maynard gets a premiership medal and Brayshaw gets to move into assisted living at age 40. Thug.”
A second added: “To all those people saying it’s not Maynard’s fault that Brayshaw is retiring, let me explain this simply: If the Maynard knock doesn’t happen, then Gus wouldn’t be retiring.”
Some fans however couldn’t believe Maynard was being blamed given Brayshaw’s extensive history with concussions.
Brayshaw said he had been “very optimistic” of a return to football this season and was devastated by the sudden development.
“I am absolutely shattered and did not see this reality coming to pass,” he wrote.
“The exceptional care provided by the medical team at MFC during the last five months had left me feeling very optimistic about my future in the game.
“Alongside that positivity, however, was a constant concern for doing what was best for the health of my brain long-term … there has been too much damage to continue – the risk is now too great.”
Brayshaw said he hoped his plight could lead to better outcomes for other players, after he was the fifth AFL player to retire due to concussion since the beginning of last season.
“I am really proud of what I have achieved over the past decade. I have been able to live out my childhood dream and while it’s been cut short, I am forever grateful to everyone who has been involved,” Brayshaw said.
“I want to especially thank my teammates, my coaches and the staff at the Melbourne Football club, for all they have done for me over the years. I also want to thank my family and my partner Danielle for their endless support. To every member and fan, thank you for your incredible support over the journey.
“Concussion is a massive issue facing our game. I hope from this, a terrible result for me personally, can come some positive outcomes for the future of player safety.”