AFL Grand Final week 2022: All the Geelong and Sydney news, preview and build-up
Josh Kennedy has argued the case for an overhaul of the AFL premiership medallion system as he prepares to watch the grand final from the sidelines.
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Sydney champion Josh Kennedy has argued the case for an overhaul of the AFL premiership medallion system as he prepares to watch the grand final from the sidelines.
Sidelined Sydney great Josh Kennedy has argued the case for premiership medallions to be awarded to players who miss the grand final, saying a flag-winning campaign is about more than “one game”.
While stressing he was not being “self indulgent” about his own situation, which will see the midfield warrior watch on as his Swans’ teammates battle Geelong in the grand final after succumbing to a recurring hamstring injury, Kennedy felt players who had contributed throughout the season should be acknowledged.
Kennedy said he still felt for his former Sydney teammate Ben McGlynn, who missed the Swans’ last premiership in 2012 after suffering a hamstring injury in the qualifying final.
Asked if players who had made a significant contribution throughout the season deserved to be recognised with a premiership medallion, Kennedy joked his answer was “biased” given his situation before adding it had long been his belief they should be acknowledged.
“I’m probably biased in my situation (now), but I would say yes,” Kennedy said.
“But I would have said that years ago. If I think back to 2012, Ben McGlynn is the one that stands out, (he) played all year.
“Ben McGlynn, being a good friend of mine, played 22 games that year and then he was injured for the last two or three.
“I don’t know if (injured Sydney forward) Sam Reid was to play or not play, but he would deserve one because it’s not just about the one game, it’s (about) getting there.
“Obviously, I’m biased now, but even prior to this year I would have absolutely agreed that it should be afforded to a larger group of players that have contributed in some form.
“I don’t want this ... to necessarily be about (my situation) because it’s a little bit self indulgent and that’s not me. If you want to make reference to it, I would make reference to Benny McGlynn, not myself.”
A member of Sydney’s 2012 premiership team, former Swans captain Kennedy played 11 senior games in what will be his final season in the AFL this year.
HOLMES SHOWS ENOUGH TO BE ‘PROBABLE’
Geelong will “probably” name Max Holmes in its grand final side on Thursday as the youngster showed more signs of improvement on the track on Wednesday. The talking point of Geelong’s grand final week, Holmes was pushing through 100m runs by himself before the Cats kicked off their final main training session of the year. He went through extensive stretching on his much-discussed hamstring with physios before returning to running. While he didn’t hit top speed, Holmes ran without any signs of discomfort.
Max Holmes of the Cats runs during a Geelong training session at GMHBA Stadium on September 21. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Speaking before the session, Cats assistant coach James Kelly said Holmes would “probably” be named on Thursday and given every chance to prove hit fitness at Friday’s captains run on the MCG. The Cats had a full contingent on track before media was asked to leave GMHBA Stadium, with Shaun Higgins in good spirits before the final training session of his 260-game career. Sam Menegola – who is one option to replace Holmes – was warming up to train fully, while Tom Hawkins appeared set to join the session in full after he has been on light duties in recent weeks.
GRAVE RISK IN PLAYING LUCKLESS SWAN AS HEARTBREAK LOOMS
The forward-ruckman has been critical to the Swans’ finals charge but failed to train at the SCG on Tuesday as doubt grows over his availability against Geelong.
Reid would leave a gaping hole in Sydney’s spine after spending 31 per cent of his gametime in the ruck and 69 per cent forward this finals series.
The club’s best contested mark had booted three September goals before he was substituted out of the preliminary final.
While tearing the adductor off the bone would be the worst-case scenario, it would be difficult to jab Reid’s injury because it is to a very vascular part of the body.
The Swans refused to rule Reid out after analysing his scans on Monday and they want to give the 30-year-old every chance to prove his fitness this week.
Thursday morning’s closed training session at the SCG looms as a major milestone.
Reid’s ability to kick and change direction are likely to be impeded and if the Swans numb the injury too much he is more likely to suffer serious damage.
That is unlikely to overly faze the Swans, given it is the last game of the season, but taking injured players into finals is fraught with danger.
Greater Western Sydney regretted fielding several sore players into the 2019 decider, led by captain Phil Davis who underwent a fitness test on the MCG before the match.
But Melbourne‘s gamble on Steven May in last year’s grand final paid off, despite the full-back suffering a nasty hamstring tear in the preliminary final 15 days earlier.
Demons doctors did not disclose May’s scan results to him until he had the premiership medal draped around his neck.
In 2011 Geelong star Steve Johnson won a premiership carrying a knee injury that forced him to be stretchered off in the preliminary final.
Johnson asked close mate Taylor Hunt to go easy on him in their one-on-one battle during his fitness test at GMHBA Stadium.
Either Hayden McLean or Joel Amartey shape as Reid‘s replacement if he does not get up.
One option could be to roll the dice on Reid and name Amartey or McLean as the medi-sub as cover.
Collingwood chose tall Nathan Kreuger as its medi-sub on Saturday because it was aware it had sore key position players entering the match, and the strategy worked when Mason Cox was substituted out with a groin injury.
But that tactic would also carry risk should a running player break down early in the match.
Wingman Justin McInerney also missed Tuesday’s session with a sore foot although he is considered in less doubt.
The Marcellin College man executed that brilliant pick-off as he intercepted a Darcy Moore kick to Jeremy Howe and stormed into an open goal in the third quarter on Saturday.
The Swans have not made a single change to their stable best 22 in almost two months.
Logan McDonald replaced Amartey in round 21 in what has been the sole change since September star Tom Hickey came in for Peter Ladhams in round 21.
Reid has missed 85 games — almost four full seasons — through injury in the past 11 years.
He has been sidelined with an Achilles for 26 weeks, a quad for 25 weeks, a hamstring for 16 weeks and a calf for 12 weeks.
Cruelly, this had been just Reid’s second unscathed season in a decade until Saturday’s setback.
Reid was unavailable for 10 matches last year, six in 2020, 19 in 2018 and all of 2016, which included the grand final loss to Western Bulldogs.
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Originally published as AFL Grand Final week 2022: All the Geelong and Sydney news, preview and build-up
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