Collingwood makes selection calls on premiership heroes
Collingwood Football Club is managing player fitness ahead of the upcoming AFL Wildcard Round. While Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe are returning, Brayden Maynard will be held back to ensure he is fully recovered for the next match.
Why it matters
Strategic player management is critical for AFL teams as they navigate the high-stakes transition into the postseason.
Collingwood will welcome back Steele Sidebottom and Jeremy Howe for Friday's clash against Brisbane at the MCG, but vice-captain Brayden Maynard won't make his return.
Sidebottom missed last week's draw with Hawthorn with illness, while Howe has overcome an arm injury he sustained in the Round 21 loss to Geelong.
As for Maynard, he was tested at Wednesday's training session, but the club will hold him back ahead of a Wildcard Round clash the following weekend.
"He was a test today but didn't quite get through," McRae confirmed.
[caption id="attachment_178152" align="alignnone" width="2560"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 08: Brayden Maynard of the Magpies runs off with an injured shoulder during the 2026 AFL Round 13 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Melbourne Demons at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on June 8, 2026 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by James Wiltshire/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption]
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