Collingwood star Brayden Maynard reveals the mental health battle that took a toll on his footy and left him needing professional help

Collingwood premiership winner Brayden Maynard has opened up about his ongoing battle with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), which could have ended his career.

Maynard, 27, told the Keegan and Company podcast that at the beginning of his career he often trained with little or no sleep due to the anxiety disorder.

“I feel like there are a lot of people who suffer from OCD,” the Magpies vice-captain said.

“I feel like it's quite popular (generally), and to talk about it is quite difficult.

'It had a negative impact on me. I had to go and train and play matches without sleeping because that's how much it would affect me.

“I was up all night checking (my phone) … when I look at it, and it's not stupid stuff, it's just stuff where you're like, 'Why am I doing this?'

Maynard has since developed a number of tools to manage the disorder, after consulting with mental health professionals.

They include being in a calm state as often as possible, meditation and limiting blue light intake.

He chose to speak out in an effort to help other people with OCD.

“I still deal with it every day,” Maynard said.

'I like to talk about it. To be able to fight OCD a little bit, to be able to talk about it, that's a bit different.'

During his 186 games in the AFL (all with Collingwood), Maynard has won a flag, been named an All-Australian and has finished runner-up in the club's Copeland Trophy twice in the past three seasons.

He was sent straight to the AFL Tribunal after a smear went wrong against Melbourne Demons star Angus Brayshaw in week one of the finals, but was cleared to play.