Pendlebury and Maynard to Miss Collingwood’s Wildcard Final After Scans Confirm Injuries

Collingwood will be without two senior leaders for at least next weekend’s wildcard final after scans confirmed new injuries to Scott Pendlebury and Brayden Maynard over a 24-hour period.

AFL.com.au reported Saturday that Pendlebury, the veteran midfielder who became the AFL/VFL’s all-time games record holder in 2026, has been diagnosed with a hamstring strain after experiencing tightness during Collingwood’s Friday-night loss to Brisbane. Collingwood football boss Charlie Gardiner said Pendlebury is expected to miss two to three weeks. Maynard, a co-vice-captain and senior defender, left training early Saturday morning, and scans later confirmed a grade-one MCL strain to his knee. AFL.com.au reported there is no clear timeline for Maynard’s return, but he is expected to miss at least a week.

“These are obviously disappointing setbacks for both Scott and Brayden,” Gardiner said. He added: “Scott experienced tightness in the back of his knee during last night’s game. Scans earlier today confirmed a hamstring strain and we expect Scott to be sidelined for two to three weeks.” On Maynard, Gardiner said: “Brayden unfortunately left the track early this morning during a training session, with scans confirming he sustained a grade one MCL strain. This is the same knee but unrelated to his earlier injury.”

The timing is significant because Collingwood’s next match is a sudden-death wildcard final, part of the AFL’s wildcard finals weekend scheduled for Aug. 28-30. This is not a routine late-season absence. Pendlebury and Maynard are established leaders whose availability shapes Collingwood’s midfield balance, defensive matchups and on-field direction in high-pressure games.

Pendlebury’s absence appears set to extend beyond the opening final, based on the club’s 2-3 week expectation. Maynard’s outlook is less defined, but he too will be unavailable for the first knockout game of Collingwood’s 2026 finals campaign.

“These are unfortunate setbacks especially at this time of year but Scott and Brayden are absolute professionals and will do all they can to get back as quickly as possible,” Gardiner said.

For now, the immediate reality for Collingwood is clear: both Pendlebury and Maynard will miss the club’s wildcard final next weekend, with Pendlebury facing the longer confirmed layoff.