By Andrew Wu and Claire Siracusa
Carlton pulled a selection stunner on Tuesday by confirming Sam Docherty’s miraculous return six months after an anterior cruciate ligament injury, as more big calls loom for the Blues, who have eight injured stars in the frame for the elimination final against Brisbane.
Docherty, who sealed his fairytale return after getting through a searching session on Monday, is confident he can make an instant impact at the Gabba.
Sam Docherty trains at Ikon Park on Saturday, as he pushes to return for the Blues’ elimination final.Credit: Getty Images
Though there is the awful possibility he could re-injure his knee, there are no guarantees the Blues stalwart, who has taken part in just one finals series since being drafted in 2011, will get another chance to play in September if he waits until next year.
“I’m pumped. I feel like I’ve put in a lot of work behind the scenes to get myself not only ready to be back playing but to be able to go out there and perform at a high level,” Docherty said.
Just two weeks after being barely able to name a 26-man squad for the last game of the home and away season, Blues coach Michael Voss faces a tough call on how many of his wounded players he can squeeze back in at the same time.
The Blues have already made the boldest call of all by rubber-stamping Docherty’s comeback from a knee reconstruction, but decisions beckon on Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Zac Williams, Mitch McGovern, Tom De Koning, Adam Cerra and Jack Martin.
All have been listed as tests in the Blues’ injury report, and need only to emerge unscathed through the club’s main session on Thursday to put their hands up for selection.
If the Blues back all eight, it will be the first time since 2015 – when Fremantle and North Melbourne made 13 and 10 changes respectively – that a club has had this many “ins” heading into a final. The Dockers and North, though, were bringing back players who had been rested at a time when the pre-finals bye was yet to be introduced.
Curnow, McKay, McGovern and Williams are considered the most likely to return as they had played for much of the year before their injuries. De Koning and Cerra are short of match practice, both missing the best part of the past month, while Martin has played just three senior games this year.
As spirited as the undermanned Blues’ performance was against St Kilda, they would be next to no hope of beating the Lions at the Gabba without ringing the changes.
Skipper Patrick Cripps broke the news of Docherty’s selection to his close friend in front of jubilant teammates while they were in the spa at Ikon Park on Tuesday. So boisterous were the celebrations, Docherty joked he almost drowned.
Saturday night will be 26 weeks since Docherty ruptured his ACL, four weeks longer than the 22 taken by Collingwood defender Tyson Goldsack in 2018.
Though the injury appeared season-ending for Docherty, the Blues refused to put the line through the club stalwart – who had not only overcome two other knee reconstructions, but also twice beaten cancer – by not placing him on their inactive list as they did with Jack Silvagni.
After resuming running in late May, Docherty progressed to non-contact work in early July before joining in full training for the past six weeks.
“In my mind, I had so many steps to pass,” Docherty said. “I’ve kept my mindset in that way for the whole time. I knew the last step was to get through yesterday’s session, look really good at training and provide enough confidence for the match committee to pick me.
“I feel confident, but if you ask many of the boys I’m generally pretty confident about what I can do anyway. It was a matter of being able to show that in front of the coaches in what was the last big training session before we head up this week.”
Docherty showed he could perform well off a limited preparation in 2022 when he starred against Richmond in round one with 25 disposals and a goal after having chemotherapy for testicular cancer in the preseason.
A much-loved figure at the club, Docherty’s return should provide an emotional lift for his teammates.
Sam Docherty will return to the field against Brisbane.Credit: Jason South
“I do have an appreciation for how many guys have been watching and wanting it to come true as much as I have,” Docherty said.
“To have that moment and see how excited they all were for me, as much as anything, just shows a group that cares a lot. Although I nearly went under [the water] for too long it’ll be some funny vision for the fans to watch.”
While there will be concerns of Docherty either not having the conditioning to get through the game or, worse still, re-injuring his knee, he was given encouragement by Western Bulldogs great Tony Liberatore, who came back after 16 weeks out in 1998.
Liberatore said Docherty would be fine, so long as he had confidence in his knee.
“If you start worrying about your knee, you’ll fail,” Liberatore said. “Psychologically, he’s got to know that his knee is right. If you have any doubts you’re better off not playing. If he’s confident in his knee he’ll be fine.”
Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.