'You'd be rubbing out six players weekly': Double standards ...

Collingwood legend Nathan Buckley says he doesn’t believe Brayden Maynard’s collision with Angus Brayshaw warrants suspension, suggesting there’s too much “grey area” in the AFL’s focus on duty of care.

Maynard has been referred directly to the tribunal for the incident from Thursday night’s Qualifying final that saw the Magpies vice-captain knock out Brayshaw after diving forward to smother his kick, causing the Demon to be stretchered off.

Maynard was co-charged by both MRO Michael Christian and new AFL executive general manager Laura Kane after the latter intervened in the process in a curious move.

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Though it comes as the AFL has legal ramifications to consider amid a series of lawsuits from ex-players who’ve battled concussion problems.

The incident has caused widespread debate from the footy world, with Maynard’s finals fate on the line ahead of Collingwood’s preliminary final appearance in a fortnight’s time, and potentially, a grand final the week after.

Speaking on SEN on Monday morning, Buckley said he hoped the “circumstances” – not “colours of the guernseys” – are prioritised with such acts and due consideration is given of the game being played at a “break neck speed”.

“I think we’ve got to understand that there have been players that have been suspended this year for acts that I don’t think are outside what you would expect a footballer to do,” Buckley said on SEN Breakfast.

“This idea of duty of care and this idea of protecting the head has had this groundswell of focus around it. We’ve seen players, in my view, that have been penalised and suspended for acts that I think that others have been let go of.

“Tom McCartin got off what looked like it was a bump and Shane McAdam was somewhat concussed and had a depressed cheekbone. There were another couple that have taken place recently.

“Yes, we do get head contact that’s not penalised. We get some that is. There’s a lot of grey area here for me.

“Because if you went all-in on this duty of care and this medico legal issue around concussion and head knocks, you’d be rubbing out five or six players on potential damage to the head every week.”

Port Adelaide 300-gamer Kane Cornes concurred, saying he thinks there’s too much asked of current players, questioning what else Maynard could’ve done prior to colliding with Brayshaw.

“You watch it frame by frame, he is running flat out and he’s jumping in the air. He cannot disappear,” Cornes told SEN.

“I haven’t seen any past player of note come out and say he shouldn’t be suspended because you are understanding in that moment that this is finals football and if you’re not going flat out you’re going to be criticised.

“When you do go flat out you can’t just disappear. You actually have to brace and half protect yourself otherwise you both get knocked out.

“There’s always going to be accidents. We see knee to the head in marking contests all the time and no one cares about it. The AFL doesn’t care about that from a legal perspective.

“You can jump up, drive your knee into someone’s head running back with the flight of the ball, and as long as you’re looking to take a mark you’re fine. But you can’t jump and try to smother the football.

“I’m really fired up about it. It’s unfair to think he could have done anything else in that circumstance.”