The moment in question:Brayden Maynard collides with Angus Brayshaw.Credit:Channel Seven
Maynard also confirmed on Friday he had been in contact with Brayshaw during the off-season and said the pair were on good footing.
The pair had known each other for a number of years before they played in the AFL.
“A month or two ago I reached out to him,I think we are on good terms now and it will be interesting to see what happens in 2024,” Maynard said.
The Magpies players attempted to turn the page into their 2024 premiership chase on Friday by putting a number of poignant items,including Josh Daicos’ premiership jumper,into a time capsule to be opened in 10 years time.
“We are hungrier than ever and we have a group ready to attack 2024,” Maynard said.
“You can see everyone has put in the work in the off-season. We want to celebrate the 2023 premiership but there has to be a time you move on and I feel like this group has done that really well.”
Magpies football general manager Graham Wright announced on Friday he would take a sabbatical during next football season but will return in time for the finals.
Wright has been a key player in assembling the club’s latest premiership side,but he said on Friday he and his wife had planned to do a similar trip when he ended his long stint as Hawthorn’s football director. Instead,he took on the Collingwood role and kept working.
Wright,55,said he would rather take the chance to enjoy an overseas break at this age than wait until he was 65. He backed the club’s other executives and football staff to cover him in his absence.
Wright said he didn’t feel “burnt out” and would remain in his role until March next year with the first stop of his trip will be New York and is booked to fly home in the first week of September.
“I want to. I’m 55 and my wife is turning 50 - we’ve talked about this for a long,long time and we are in a position to do it.
“It makes it easier to do it after winning a premiership but we were thinking about it either way.”
Time out in 2024:Collingwood football and boss Graham Wright.Credit:Getty Images
The Magpies will announce how they will cover Wright’s duties in the new year but he heads overseas with the support of chief executive Craig Kelly andpresident Jeff Browne.
“Graham has been an instrumental part of our club over the last few years and when he approached Jeff and I about wanting to take leave in 2024,we supported that,” Kelly said in a statement.
“Wrighty and I have been discussing this for some time now and while he will be away for a six-month period travelling overseas,he will continue to provide assistance to me and the club as a consultant where required.
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“He has ensured the football program is well-placed during his time away – we have great leaders internally with the skills and capability to step up in Graham’s absence and through this period,it will allow others inside our club to gain experience,broaden their skill set and develop further.
“More broadly,as a club,we want to ensure that there is opportunity for senior leaders at Collingwood to have a work-life balance and normalise this type of leave for our key people.”
Melbourne Storm football director Frank Ponissi did something similar a few years ago and then returned to his role at the NRL club. Wright said he hadn’t realised that until one of his workmates mentioned it on Friday.
Both Wright and the Magpies hopes other veteran football people would look to make similar moves in future.
“It’s a long year - we’re hopeful of leading the way in this area,where we can give some people time out of the game from time to time,” Wright said.