COLLINGWOOD midfielder Brayden Sier won't face a playing ban for playing social basketball while injured and then lying to the club about it.
Sier, who was entered on the team sheet for the Monday night game under the name 'Phill Inn', as reported first by AFL.com.au, has instead been fined $5000 and will do community work one night a week for the rest of the year.
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He has spoken to Magpies coach Nathan Buckley and addressed the playing group, and is expected to be available to return from a calf injury in the VFL next weekend.
"We've spoken to Brayden and he's spoken to the group (about) what is quite a marginal action (that) has got a lot of coverage," Buckley told reporters after the Magpies' 66-point win against Adelaide on Saturday.
"He's been sanctioned and he understands what he did was not a great decision.
"He's been fined $5000 and he's doing some community work, one night a week, each week for the rest of this year.
"We'll put our support behind him now and he's still part of our campaign and needs to get back on track, train well, play well in the VFL next week and continue to push to be a positive impact on the rest of our 2019 campaign."
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Buckley said Sier – who has played six games this season – would be considered for a return to the AFL side in the finals.
"Brayden's got a bit of work to make up in a very short space of time, but we don't know where the twists and turns of the next hopefully five weeks, six weeks for us, we don't know where that's going to take us, so we're not going to leave anyone on the side of the road," Buckley said.
"We need all hands-on deck and Brayden will be part of that.
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"We made the decision that we think is the right one for Brayden, for now and for the future to teach him and educate him.
"He's a young player and it's also the right decision to maintain integrity around our expectations at the football club.
"We have some guys on the injury list, but it's not bad as some people think either."
Buckley said defender Darcy Moore would be a chance to return for Friday night's clash with Essendon, while forward Jordan De Goey is unlikely to face the Bombers, with the first week of the finals a more realistic target.
The Magpies have risen to fourth on the ladder, but could slip back to fifth if Richmond defeats West Coast on Sunday.
"We want to finish (in the) top four," Buckley said.
"Our part in that is winning games and winning them as well as we possibly can.
"We need a few results to go our way, either tomorrow or next weekend.
"We've got Essendon in six days' time, we need to narrow our focus on that and execute the footy we're capable of and building towards whatever September looks like for us."
