True, but Brayshaw was about to kick the ball and Maynard leaped into the air to smother as he realised the ball was on its way up.
Was this attempt at a smother an act that could reasonably be foreseen to result in a reportable offence being committed?
Not in my book.
Which means it doesn’t constitute a careless act, and therefore no case to answer.
In fact, l don’t think this particular attempt at a shepherd has ever resulted in a player being knocked out.
There is forward momentum by both parties though, Brayshaw completing his kicking action and Maynard leaping towards the ball.
Maynard was moving at speed, he chose to jump in a certain direction, and could see exactly where Brayshaw was and which way he was moving. How could Maynard not foresee his action resulting in high contact?
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The ‘act’ extends beyond the initial commencement of the act, up to and including him bracing and turning his body into the point of impact
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The way I saw it, running front on at the player and jumping in the air, whether he was going to be able to touch the ball or not, he was always going to collect him high and hard.
Which would make the act fall into a careless or reckless category.
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Arms fully outstretched attempting to smother the ball in mid air.
Turned and tucked his arms in to collect a completely open player. It was very reckless.
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I am not disputing that at all. My point is that Maynard had little to no chance to smother the ball, he was too late and too far away to affect the spoil, even with the jump, he didn’t get close to it.
Accidental contact not foreseen in the act of attempt to smother.
Brayshaw actually moved off his line too.
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It wasn’t really instantaneous and he had a choice. Result concussion. One bloke had a choice and the other didn’t. Mayynard chose to brace side on. Brayshaw knocked out. Rest my case.
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Except the ball went past Maynard at elbow height, so he was pretty close to effecting a smother.
The other choice being no attempt at a smother ?
That is patently incorrect
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If Maynard was fully committed to the smother would he have been able to change his body position? He also has a reputation.
It was a reckless action that resulted in a guy being knocked out and taken out of the game. He had other choices in that situation but he chose to leap off the ground straight into the path of the oncoming player. He had other choices he could have made which includes not leaving the ground. There have been other instances this year of people being suspended for leaving the ground and collecting the head.
This.
Edit: and you’re kidding yourself if you think it wasn’t intentional. He’ll get done for careless but he knew exactly what he was doing
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I probably need to see the incident again. It looked late to me and the ball was certainly metres away from Brayshaw when he was hit.
Not leaving the ground meant no chance of a smother.
Leaping gave him a chance at smothering the ball and he nearly pulled it off.
Yeah definitely give it another look. He was a matter of centimetres off touching the footy with his right hand/arm.
Side on view:
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