Collingwood is unsure how long vice-captain Brayden Maynard will be sidelined with a pre-existing plantar fascia injury, after aggravating it during Saturday night's win over North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium.
Maynard was among multiple experienced heads that were missing from the Pies line-up, with Steele Sidebottom (managed), Scott Pendlebury (illness - late out) and Bobby Hill (personal - late out) pulled from the game.
The heart-and-soul player went down in the first quarter, and was ultimately subbed out of the game, as Oleg Markov took his place.
"He's got some Plantar fascia stuff that's gone beyond what it was," McRae said.
"We don't know the extent of it, it'll be scanned and then it will reveal what is needed from that.
"He's been having symptoms of that for a while now, hence why we didn't go to Perth with it to settle it down a bit.
"But this is an actual incident that's caused some sort of trouble there, so we'll have to wait and see."
Maynard himself was fronted by Channel 7 on Sunday, saying he could miss up to six weeks.
"It felt like it popped last night"
Brayden Maynard is looking at 2-6 weeks with a suspected torn plantar fascia per @xandermcguire7 pic.twitter.com/Gm7e0b4o0l
โ 7AFL (@7AFL) May 25, 2025
"I've been dealing with plantar fasciitis for quite some time now," Maynard said.
"It's ebbed and flowed. It's been sort of good for the last couple of weeks, which is fascinating, why it felt like it popped.
"From all reports, maybe it's a good thing its popped, but I am a little bit tender. But how it goes from here, and how it pulls up we'll have to wait and see."
Pendlebury and Hill's withdrawals raised eyebrows due to the club being granted to bring in Markov, who wasn't listed on the emergencies.
Untried youngsters Harry DeMattia and Charlie West missed selection and should've technically replaced Hill.
Surprised the AFL approved this.
Understand the 2x late Pies changes bobbed up in the arvo, but you should have to exhaust the 3x emgs before going outside the squad.
Otherwise, why have emgs?Parker replaced Pendlebury, one of DeMattia/West shouldโve replaced Hill. https://t.co/8huuoxSNLf
โ Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) May 24, 2025
"They were late withdrawals because they were late, we got information this afternoon that Pendles was not well, he's got gastro and not able to get up," McRae said.
"I won't go into Bobby's stuff because that's really quite personal and not for me to talk about.
"But we thank the AFL for their understanding, this happens what once in a thousand, I don't remember the last time we had a late withdrawal.
"To be able to think on our feet a bit and get things where they need to be was again another pleasing part of the game.
"Some guys weren't even playing up until an hour before the game."
Collingwood's prime movers were on show once again, with stand-in captain Nick Daicos racking up a game-high 38 disposals, along with six marks, five clearances and 12 score involvements.
Improved partner-in-crime Ned Long was equally as good, recording a whopping 15 score involvements, 29 touches and 14 tackles.
Jamie Elliot slotted five goals while Tim Membrey (three goals) and Brody Mihocek (two) also contributed to the 45-point victory.
The Pies now set up a mouth-watering match against Hawthorn on Friday night at the MCG.
