Melbourne captain Max Gawn has shed further light on Collingwood defender Brayden Maynard’s controversial visit to Angus Brayshaw’s home after he knocked the Dees midfielder out in a collision.
Maynard visited Brayshaw’s home the day after the incident, which became the subject of debate in the footy world amid the bumper AFL Tribunal case that saw Maynard ultimately cleared of rough conduct.
Gawn said the atmosphere was not convivial when Maynard arrived, but was not in line with reports of a more emotionally-charged reception.
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Players react to Brayden Maynard verdict | 03:42
“It was 10 minutes, everyone knew each other. We played with Brayden’s brother three or four years ago, his dad works at the club. There’s a phenomenal connection between the Maynards and pretty much everyone at the football club,” he said on Triple M’s Marty Sheargold Show.
“It’s what I expected for a guy that hit someone – well, knocked someone out accidentally the night before.
“We weren’t on the couch watching Thank God You’re Here, we weren’t having a genuinely good time, but it was certainly not the reports that have come out.”
Brayshaw’s concussion history has led to concern about his long-term future, with some reports he would be unlikely to play in the preliminary final even if the side qualifies.
Gawn admitted that, while Brayshaw has since improved, he was in a bad state in the early hours after his latest concussion.
“We were really worried obviously early. He had a real bad first night,” Gawn said.
“This was number six and his fifth one was an eight-weeker. There was concerns early.
“I’m not an expert in concussion I don’t know much about it, all I know is he’s sticking to the protocols and he hasn’t had a bad day yet. Technically he’s ticked off the first five days of a 14-day protocol.
“He’s still looking like he could play in the prelim if we get there, which is so much more positive than what we thought on the initial night.”
Asked by host Marty Sheargold if the flowers Maynard brought made it to a vase, Gawn replied: “I put the flowers in a vase … I got a text later than night from Danielle (Brayshaw’s partner) that I picked the wrong vase.”
“I picked a pink vase, I thought it suited the flowers.”
Still tongue-in-cheek, Gawn added he also put the bottle of Penfolds that Maynard brought in a fridge as well.
Melbourne will take on Carlton in a blockbuster semi-final on Friday night at the MCG.
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