AFL grand final 2024: Latest news from the Brisbane Lions camp ahead of decider
Injured stars Oscar McInerney and Callum Mills will be allowed on field during the Grand Final on Saturday in what has been praised as a “fantastic gesture”.
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Brisbane has lauded the AFL’s flexibility in allowing Oscar McInerney and Callum Mills to be on their team’s benches on Saturday without the clubs having to dump a staff member from their team.
Lions coach Chris Fagan said on Friday the club had asked permission from the AFL to have injured ruck McInerney on the bench helping out with tactics and offering support after his shoulder injury in the preliminary final.
The league has approved the submissions given the pair are both senior players who are in their club’s leadership core.
But Lions football boss Danny Daly said the league had also allowed both clubs to have 13 officials on the bench on Saturday counting those injured players.
“We usually only have 12 officials there so they have agreed both clubs can have an extra member. It’s a good gesture. Mills isn’t playing either and so the AFL reached out and said we could have Mills and McInerney as extra officials. It’s a fantastic gesture by them.”
The AFL has also handed the travelling clubs an extra $50,000 in their soft caps to allow them to bring extra staff and family members down to Melbourne.
The Lions believe they have nailed their preparation after flying down on Wednesday after last year’s delayed flight on Thursday led to a rushed lead-in to the game.
Brisbane will hold a family day at Brunswick Street Oval on Sunday morning win or lose, then take a 1.30pm flight back to Queensland for another fan function at their Springfield home base.
LUCKLESS LION BACKS REPLACEMENT TO SHINE
Injured Brisbane ruckman Oscar McInerney says he is at peace with “going down swinging” in the Lions’ preliminary final triumph over Geelong.
McInerney backed his replacement Darcy Fort to be Brisbane’s “secret weapon” against Sydney in the AFL grand final as he prepared to look on after suffering two shoulder dislocations in the win over Geelong.
The 30-year-old ruckman travelled with his teammates to Melbourne on Wednesday with his left arm in a sling after he was ruled out of the grand final almost immediately following his painful injury.
He represented Brisbane at a kick-to-kick with grand final entertainment headline act Katy Perry at the MCG on Thursday before saying he was “really content” despite being sidelined in the final week of the season.
“I was ecstatic to be honest (after the preliminary final). We do all this hard work to get into the grand final, especially after last year, getting that taste, we just wanted to be back there,” McInerney said.
“To see the emotion in the rooms after it was incredible. Everyone thinks it’s this emotional period for myself, but to go down knowing that I gave it my best and went down swinging, I’m really content with that.
“I get to be really part of a group that’s striving to be able to do some special things over the next 48 to 72 hours.”
McInerney said he had “tried to survive” after coming back on in the second quarter following the initial dislocation he suffered as he praised Joe Daniher for carrying the load in the second half.
“The boys were incredible, they got around me when I went out there and just tried to survive for as long as I could … unfortunately, it wasn’t for long enough, but what Joey did in the game, Dunks (Josh Dunkley) did in the game, our talls, everyone really was absolutely incredible, and hopefully we can keep riding that momentum we’ve gathered from the GWS game and onwards,” he said.
McInerney backed Fort to hold his own in a key battle against Sydney’s Brodie Grundy after only playing two senior games this season – his most recent in round 7.
“He’s going to be our surprise weapon, this week. He’s going to be incredible. I can’t wait to see what all our boys do, but Darcy is the ultimate professional,” McInerney said.
Teammate Jarrod Berry said on Monday the Lions would be playing for McInerney, “one of our favourite sons”, when they ran out onto the MCG without him.
“We got drafted together (in 2017), me and big Oscar, and he’s one of those guys that epitomises brotherhood and the culture that we’ve built here at the club,” Berry said.
“He’s one of the favourite sons up here in Brisbane, and we’ll certainly be playing for him on the weekend.
“He’s so selfless, He always put others’ needs before his own. He’s one of those guys that make football enjoyable and makes this club what it is and makes it a fun place to be.”
LIONS BOOTED FROM MCG BY POP SUPERSTAR
Chris Fagan appears to still be locked in to a single change for the grand final despite Eric Hipwood and Lachie Neale remaining on light duties at Thursday’s main session.
The Brisbane Lions ran around at Richmond’s Punt Road home base, with Katy Perry’s giant stage taking up the MCG as the pop superstar held her rehearsal.
At the same time, the Lions went through their own rehearsal for footy’s biggest day.
Hipwood has been battling a groin injury and barely trained for two months, with the forward again going through a careful warm up away from the main group.
The goalkicker joined in during some light drills but again largely stayed away from a full-ground ball movement drill.
Do you ever feel like a plastic bag…? @katyperrypic.twitter.com/n2Rv54j0to
— Chloe Molloy (@chloemollloy) September 26, 2024
Neale has also been hobbling to the grand final, dealing with a heel issue, but the ball magnet was lively and moved without visible duress through training.
Both Neale and Hipwood ended their sessions with deep conversations with medical staff but should line up on Saturday against Sydney.
Jack Payne will also play against the Swans, with a visit to an acupuncturist earlier this week putting the key back in good shape for the season decider.
Preliminary final hero Cam Rayner also went through a careful warm up, stretching his hamstring and back, but went through training without any issue.
Ruck Darcy Fort moved well as he readies himself to replace winged big man Oscar McInerney.
The Lions went through their full ground drill with an A-team defence clearly protecting the corridor.
The middle of the ground will be a key battleground for both sides given their slick ball movement and clearly Fagan will want to push the Swans to the wide wings of the MCG.
With fans locked out of the session, it was hard for a smattering of die hards to get a peek but the fans lined themselves up along Punt Rd to peek through the fence at the action.
One concrete truck roared past holding down the horn with red and white memorabilia on the dashboard and a loud driver pumping up the Swans.
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