Brett Deledio looks set to miss the Grand Final in true AFL heartbreak

Sport can be so cruel and for one AFL star this Grand Final week will be tougher than ever barring a miraculous injury recovery.

Brett Deledio hugs teammate Jeremy Finlayson after prelim final. Pic: Michael Klein.

Sport can be a cruel, cruel place and one GWS star is set to endure the toughest week of all barring a miracle recovery.

Brett Deledio was carried off the ground following the Giants elimination final victory over the Western Bulldogs.

The 275 game star was reduced to tears as the final siren went after sustaining a calf injury during the contest.

He has missed the last two games because of the injury and now looks set to miss the Grand Final in heartbreaking circumstances.

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Deledio joined the Giants in 2017 and had to watch on as his old team Richmond went on to claim premiership glory.

Now without a miracle, the 32-year-old will be forced to watch on from the sidelines as his current team and old side do battle.

Have to feel for Brett Deledio. Overcome with emotion, he’s headed down the race in tears while teammates greet the few thousand Giants fans (who are making a lot of noise) celebrating club’s maiden GF #AFLPiesGiants pic.twitter.com/zKl9ZCp82B

— Andrew Wu (@wutube) September 21, 2019

As his teammates revelled in their stunning preliminary final victory over Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday night, Deledio cut a forlorn figure as he headed down to the rooms overcome with emotion.

The AFL’s newest team in only their eighth season overcame a torrid injury list to seal their place in the big dance.

Several big name players will return to the team for the Grand Final, but they’ll likely be without superstar Stephen Coniglio as well as co-captain Callan Ward.

But it’s Deledio who fans were feeling for the most in the aftermath of one of the best finals of all time.

Feel for Brett Deledio in all this, if ever there was a bloke who deserved to play in a grand final #AFLPiesGiants

— Sean Wales (@seanwales01) September 21, 2019

The former Tigers star left the club in the hopes of claiming the ultimate glory ahead of the 2017 season.

In a raw and emotional interview with Fox Footy’s Neroli Meadows through the week, he opened up on the 2017 preliminary final loss to the Tigers.

“I remember as soon as the siren went, it hit me, just the enormity of everything,” Deledio recalled.

“I was a bit of a mess.”

He refused to watch his former teammates compete in the Grand Final, knowing it would have been too much to handle.

“I’d almost convinced myself it was too unfair for it to happen, for them to win it without me, given everything that I’d gone and done,’ Deledio said.

“For it to be the year later, I was just like, ‘That can’t possible happen’. I remember it just broke my heart.”

We are now one GWS win away from Brett Deledio’s heart breaking one more time 😔 #AFLTigersCats

— Vince Rugari (@VinceRugari) September 20, 2019

Fingers will be crossed Deledio can somehow overcome his injury and make it up in time for the Grand Final, if not the Giants are out to get the job done for their injured stars.

“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.”