Richmond champion turned GWS stalwart Brett Deledio set to be a tale of grand final week devastation
There is no more devastating grand final tale than Brett Deledio, who — barring a miracle recovery — will have to watch his current club face the team where he made his name in this year’s grand final.
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Distraught Brett Deledio is officially the heartbreak kid of the AFL.
Amid the joyous pandemonium of the winning GWS dressing room, there was also no missing the tragedy of football – epitomised by the fact the Giants will play Richmond in a grand final that he will be cruelly forced to watch from the stands through injury.
Stephen Coniglio, a man who just a few weeks ago signed a lifetime contract with the Giants in one of the most important moments in the club’s brief history, himself appears virtually no chance of playing in GWS’s historic grand final. He should have been there.
Callan Ward, the heart and soul of the Giants since their inception, will also miss the club’s biggest day having injured his knee back in the early rounds.
But there is no more devastating a tale than that of Deledio – a great of the Richmond football club and a stalwart of GWS – who beneath his selfless pride for teammates past and present, has had his dream replaced by a personal nightmare.
Deledio walked out on his beloved club Richmond to chase a premiership in the twilight of his career at GWS, only for the Tigers to climb Everest the year after he left.
He was at the MCG when GWS were beaten by the premiership-winning Tigers back in 2017, and couldn’t even bring himself to watch the grand final.
In a powerful interview with Fox Footy’s Neroli Meadows last week, Deledio – gone for the year with a calf injury – thought he would be better this time around if Richmond went onto win another flag without him – but there was no preparing for the gut-wrenching anguish of how it has now played out.
The footy Gods aren’t fair, but GWS star Nick Haynes said the Giants would do it for their fallen warriors.
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“It was pure joy and mixed emotions as well obviously with Callan Ward and Stephen Coniglio and Brett Deledio,” said Haynes.
“To see the joy on their faces but know the pain they’re going through as well was a bit hard to watch.
“But they’re going to be riding us home next week and we’re going to do it for them as well.
“(Heartbreaking to watch for Deledio) as would have Callan Ward and Stephen Coniglio felt.
“As I said they’ve got to be hurting but the main thing is they’re going to be supporting us and they’re going to want us to win.”
The positive is Lachie Whitfield (appendix) and Phil Davis, who hurt his calf and played out a heroic preliminary final look likely to play.
Post-match Coniglio (knee) refused to rule himself out of a miracle grand final comeback after two months out due to knee surgery, and coach Leon Cameron also kept the door ajar, but the writing appears to be on the wall.
But the irrepressibly positive Coniglio showed what a leader he is as he celebrated like his own hard luck story doesn’t matter.
“I’m lost for words. I’m just so proud. At the end there, we were down at that far end and I just said to a couple of the boys, take it in because the amount of orange that was in the crowd and the noise that was made, it was special to be a part of. We’ve created something from scratch and to see that tonight, I’m just so proud of everyone,” Coniglio said.
“I can’t put a number on it (chances of playing) because I actually don’t know myself but we’ll see. We just have to wait and see. Now that we’re in, I’ll just have to do what I can to try and play.”
The Brett Deledio Cup next week. Poor bloke. #AFLPiesGiants #AFL
— Jordan Kounelis (@JordanKounelis) September 21, 2019
The football gods really hate Brett Deledio
— Michelle Bracken (@MSBracken) September 21, 2019
How about Brett Deledio to present the premiership cup?
— Cheryl Critchley (@CherylCritchley) September 21, 2019
Win-win?
ðŸ¯ðŸ†ðŸ”¶#AFLTigersGiants #GoTiges
Can we all just spare a thought for Brett Deledio. Footy can be so cruel.
— Josh Miller (@miltrain) September 21, 2019
Have to feel for Brett Deledio. Talk about bad luck. Poor bloke.
— AFL GIF 'n GO (@brayden_cocks) September 21, 2019
Originally published as Richmond champion turned GWS stalwart Brett Deledio set to be a tale of grand final week devastation