St Joseph’s star Jack Buckley tracking well to return from injury as Swan ruled out

One of the Joeys’ most important players is right in contention to return, but it’s not a done deal yet. Plus, their coach Ron Watt has opened up on the death of the late Frank Fopiani.

Jack Buckley Picture: Mark Wilson

St Joseph’s coach Ron Watt says he “fairly confident” Jack Buckley will be ready to return from injury for his side’s preliminary final clash against South Barwon but he will need to get through their final session on Thursday night.

The head-band adorning rebounder sustained a hamstring injury in the Joeys’ final round game against Colac on August 31 and missed their first loss of the season against Leopold on Saturday.

It comes as South Barwon will be without Taylor Mulraney after he suffered a shoulder injury in his side’s win over St Mary’s, with his availability for a possible grand final remaining uncertain.

Buckley’s inclusion would give the Joeys plenty of drive off halfback, rating elite for disposals, rating kicks, rebound 50s, intercepts and ranking points this season.

The Joeys cult figure, who had his reserves teammates wear his trademark red headband for his 100th game in July, shapes as the only possible change for their battle with South Barwon at 1pm on Saturday, moved back an hour by AFL Barwon due to Geelong’s preliminary final against Brisbane at 5:45pm.

Jack Buckley has starred for the Joeys this season. Picture: Mark Wilson

“We are hoping that we get Jack Buckley back, we are fairly confident that might happen but we won’t know until tonight,” Watt said.

“He is tracking well, if he meets his markers tonight he will be right but if not we won’t be taking a risk and put him out there.”

Watt said the stats were fairly even in their 24-point defeat to Leopold where a heavy breeze favoured one end, feeling the Lions took their opportunities better with the wind.

He was impressed by South Barwon’s win over St Mary’s where there defence held up strongly – led by interceptor Rowan Gough who took a whopping nine intercept marks.

The Joeys will also be focusing on stopping their twin towers in reigning Mathieson medallists Fraser Fort and Matt Caldow at the other end, and they have some options to contain Fort after his stunning seven-goal haul on Sunday.

“We’re pretty lucky, we have got two or three we can go to. Either big Betson or Benny Clark or Joel O’Dwyer who has been the regular full back or key defender over the last three years,” Watt said.

“We can mix and match a bit, if we find someone who is keeping him in check, well we’ll stick with that and pretty happy with it.”

Fraser Fort celebrates one of his seven goals. Picture: Mark Wilson

As member services manager of the AFL Coaches Association, Watt has worked with South Barwon and former Melbourne coach Mark Neeld in the past when he was in the AFL system.

He is 2-0 against Neeld this season, their most recent clash a 10-point win for the Joeys at McDonald Reserve in round 14, and he is looking forward to coming up against him again.

“It is good coming up against coaches who have had great experiences. In the end the coaches can only do so much and it is the players you have got to mould to get the job done,” Watt said.

“We have a great relationship amongst the coaches in the GFL, everyone is really supportive and obviously I know ‘Neeldy’ and ‘Buddha’ (Garry Hocking) and ‘Keasty’ (Glenn Keast) really well because of my experiences with them.”

Outgoing St Mary’s co-coach Glenn Keast was coached by Watt as a player at North Shore and then took the reins from him in 1998.

Both saw the glittering career of the late Frank Fopiani up close and personal at the Seagulls during their dominant era, and Watt feels his tragic death from cancer last month is an important reminder to live life to the fullest.

Watt believes Fopiani, widely recognised as the greatest GFNL player of all-time, was so much more than a footy superstar.

“It was a sad occasion for everyone in the football community, not just the football community but the broader Geelong community. Everyone hopes that his family is doing well and he is just such a good guy,” Watt said.

“Frank wasn’t defined by his football: he was recognised for it, but he wasn’t defined by it. And I think that was the great thing about Frank, there was more to him than just being the best player we had ever seen in this district. It was he was a champion young fella, too.

“It is a reality check that we are here for a limited amount of time, so make the best of it and enjoy what you’re doing and who you’re doing it with.”

Originally published as St Joseph’s star Jack Buckley tracking well to return from injury as Swan ruled out