Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley says Chris Mayne will do everything he can to play again this AFL season despite the Magpies utility undergoing surgery on a broken cheekbone.
Mayne was flattened by Carlton’s Patrick Cripps in the final quarter of Collingwood’s 24-point win at the Gabba on Sunday, with the big-haired veteran bravely standing firm as the Blues powerhouse flew forward to gather the ball.
Dazed following the incident, the 31-year-old underwent surgery on Monday and is expected to miss up to four weeks.
The Magpies have three home-and-way games left before a likely finals campaign.
“I wouldn’t be counting Mayney out of anything,” Buckley told Fox Footy on Monday night.
“When you put a path in front of him and give him all the facts and the realities, he’s very good at analysing it and charting a path to contribute.
“We don’t know exactly where that’s going to lead him.”
Now sitting sixth, Buckley rated Sunday’s win over Collingwood’s arch-rival as their best performance of the season and said Mayne had given his side plenty of inspiration.
‘The bloke continues to put his body on the line; his teammates love him and he’s not in a good way, he’s a sore boy,” he said on Sunday.
“He’s done it in every one of his actions since he’s come to the club.
“We need to fill that void now, but there’s no doubt that examples like that have his teammates walking taller around him and probably being asked to commit just as he does.”
The Magpies face Brisbane at the Gabba on Friday night, and Buckley is confident they can topple the premiership contenders on their home deck.