By Nick Wright
The cruellest of fates now awaits Oscar McInerney; the towering Lions’ ruckman expected to be robbed of a shot at grand final redemption.
But a trial by fire awaits for one man, and Brisbane head of football Danny Daly believes a brutal battle with one of the game’s leading big men has prepared Darcy Fort to thrive if he is thrown into the furnace.
McInerney bravely fought through a dislocated shoulder suffered in his side’s preliminary final triumph of Geelong, before enduring further pain and being substituted out.
Oscar McInerney is expected to be ruled out of the Brisbane Lions’ grand final against the Sydney Swans.Credit: Getty Images
It leaves a giant void in coach Chris Fagan’s side, with a colossal clash against Sydney Swans’ star Brodie Grundy now looming for either Fort – who has not featured in the AFL since round eight – or four-game rookie Henry Smith.
“We would have thought he’s probably not a chance. We’ve got a medical meeting this afternoon [Monday], but we’re working off the idea he won’t play this week, which is totally devastating for him,” Daly told this masthead.
“But the reality is, it gives someone else an opportunity, and whoever that might be we’ll decide tomorrow or Thursday, but at this stage I don’t think he’ll be playing.
“Oscar’s been unbelievable this year, but the reality is he probably won’t be there on Saturday, so we’ve got to move forward with the next option.”
Those two options come from contrasting stages of their careers: Fort, the veteran battler, and Smith, the 21-year-old 206-centimetre long-term Lions’ project.
Smith issued a timely reminder of his potential in his most recent outing – coming up with 53 hitouts and 13 tackles in the Lions’ preliminary final VFL defeat to Werribee.
But Daly said should Fort be the one to garner a call-up, he would be drilled with reminders about the way he stood up to Melbourne Demons giant Max Gawn two years ago.
The 31-year-old, who has played just 26 games since his 2019 debut, stood up to the 208-centimetre sensation to help orchestrate a 2022 semi-final triumph – finishing with 29 hitouts, 12 disposals, four clearances and a goal.
While Fort’s selection is no fait accompli yet, Daly said those memories of his duel with Gawn would be tapped into against Grundy, as the Lions seek to avenge last year’s heartbreaking grand final loss to Collingwood.
“No doubt, 100 per cent. Whilst it’s a couple of years ago, Forty has been in really good touch too in the last five or six weeks,” Daly said.
Darcy Fort’s efforts coming in to take on Max Gawn in the Lions’ semi-final triumph of Melbourne two years ago have not been forgotten.Credit: Getty
“He’s got the capabilities of doing that, he’s a competitive beast, and young Henry has got the enthusiasm and youthfulness.
“We’ve always had the philosophy ‘one soldier replaces another’. We’re pretty confident and have a lot of belief in either of those two guys to get the job done.”
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