Collingwood’s bid to play finals this season has taken a major hit with star defender Brayden Maynard sent for surgery.

Maynard will have a procedure on the tendon above his left knee and will miss up to a month, meaning he could be touch and go even if the eighth-placed Magpies, currently 10 points clear of 10th-placed St Kilda, take part in the new wildcard round.

Coach Craig McRae confirmed after training on Tuesday that Maynard will have surgery, and the Magpies later announced that the defender will have surgery on the pes anserinus – the conjoined tendons of three muscles in his thigh.

“It’s quite unique – it’s sort of crossing between a hamstring and knee injury … I’ll let the medical team announce it,” McRae said.

McRae said there was no structural damage to the knee. The hard-nosed Maynard, arguably the spiritual heartbeat of the team, had a knee-on-knee issue in last Thursday’s win over the Crows – finishing the game on the bench.

His absence means the Magpies are without two of their prime defenders, given skipper Darcy Moore will not play again this season.

Collingwood have won six matches straight but are dealing with soreness and illness heading into Thursday night’s blockbuster against Geelong at the MCG.

Jordan De Goey (virus) missed training, while ruckman Darcy Cameron and rebounding half-back Josh Daicos were barely sighted. However, Lachie Schultz trained well and is pushing for a return.

A key focus of this week’s clash will be the expected tagging role shutdown specialist Oisin Mullin has on Nick Daicos. The Magpies were thumped by 54 points when the teams last met in round nine, Daicos having 29 disposals but not his typical influence in Scott Pendlebury’s record-equalling 432nd game.

McRae and Daicos, the Brownlow Medal favourite, met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss plans.

“The great thing with Nick, and what we have done over a number of years now, is he’s not a target that stands still. If you’re a target that stands still, then you can take things away,” McRae said.

“It’s hard to take everything away from Nick because he can play everywhere, and we’ll work our way through what that looks like.”

McRae said Daicos’ teammates had become better at aiding the playmaker when opponents attempted to stymie him.

“His running capability is like nothing I have seen, and so that’s a challenge for the opposition,” McRae said.

The ninth-placed Cats are also dealing with injury issues for a contest with plenty riding on the result. A win could elevate the winner into the top six, however briefly, while the loser will remain firmly mired in the battle for the wildcard round.

Meanwhile, McRae said he would be “honoured” if given the chance to coach his home state of South Australia in next year’s State of Origin clash against Western Australia.

McRae was a wingman for the Croweaters when they last played Victoria at the MCG in 1999.

He said he grew up a passionate supporter, and remembers Stephen Kernahan booting 10 goals against Victoria at Football Park in 1984.

“All those memories are really vivid for me, and something I aspired to do as a player and was lucky enough to do that, and if I was asked to do it [as coach], I’d go,” he said.

The Magpies and 2023 Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill continue to work towards a financial parting of ways, with Hill expected to be paid his salary for this season, but not the remaining four years.