Collingwood coach Craig McRae has urged Brayden Maynard not to change his "hard, uncompromising" attack successful a apt AFL preliminary last conflict pinch Greater Western Sydney match-winner Toby Greene.
Maynard was cleared to play erstwhile he hit a unsmooth behaviour complaint astatine nan tribunal complete his smothering effort that near Melbourne's Angus Brayshaw knocked out.
The hotly debated incident, and its fallout, has presented an unwanted distraction for nan Magpies successful their premiership quest.
But it won't consequence successful immoderate typical instructions from McRae up of Friday night's blockbuster astatine a sold-out MCG.
"I steer distant from telling players really to play to their strengths," McRae said.
"We want to promote them to beryllium nan champion type of themselves and (Maynard) is simply a hard, uncompromising player.
"Unfortunately, that 1 conscionable treaded connected nan statement and Brayshaw ... I still dream he's OK.
"Two aliases 3 weeks later, we still attraction astir nan guy.
"We suffer show of that erstwhile we move connected to nan adjacent point but hopefully he's going well."
Brayshaw missed Melbourne's semi-final conclusion to Carlton nether concussion protocols and would person been successful uncertainty for a preliminary last had nan Demons progressed.
Maynard, meanwhile, shapes arsenic a cardinal fig successful Collingwood's protect building and nan perfect match-up for GWS superstar Greene.
Greene has kicked a career-best 64 goals this season, including 3 successful past week's semi-final triumph complete Port Adelaide, and was named All-Australian captain
"(Maynard) has a bully grounds against (Greene) but he's a value subordinate and truthful important successful nan measurement they're playing," McRae said.
"They're successful awesome form, truthful it will beryllium a match-up to watch."
Collingwood thrashed GWS by 65 points successful nan rivals' only erstwhile conflict this season.
That was backmost successful information nine, erstwhile Greene and cardinal defender Sam Taylor were sidelined pinch hamstring injuries.
"It's a agelong clip agone ... truthful overmuch has changed," McRae said.
"They've won 10 of their past 12 aliases immoderate it looks for illustration and they're playing immoderate ace footy.
"We're going to person to bring our champion protect crippled to lucifer their offence."
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