Collingwood Brayden Maynard is hopeful he can feature again sooner than expected this year after suffering two shoulder dislocations in the King's Birthday clash against Melbourne.
Maynard failed to make it to the second half of the close encounter after instances where his troublesome right shoulder fell out of its socket.
The brave defender was sent for scans.
"Hopefully I can strengthen the bastard and get back out there in a couple of weeks," Maynard said on Tuesday on Fox Sports.
"But we'll see how we go. I mean, if I have to get surgery, I'll get surgery. I've been in these situations before, and I've been able to stick fat with it and strengthen it up.
"I want to get on with it and tape the shit out of it. Hopefully I can do that but time will tell.
"It's a tough one but I feel like the stuff and the strengthening I've done over the last couple years that I've had shoulder issues, I've been able to get over it and get going, and play on."
Maynard had surgery on his right shoulder in 2023 after managing it throughout the year.
Collingwood coach Craig McRae pointed at youngster Will Hayes, who is in a similar boat after injuring his shoulder a few weeks ago.
“Young Will Hayes popped his shoulder out a few weeks ago and there's a process of strengthening it up, see how it goes and if it goes again you have an operation. That's probably my layman's view of probably how it works," McRae said post game.
"Bruzzy is a different beast, so I don't know … but I assume there's enough damage now that we'd ask a question whether he needs an operation or not."
