AFL grand final 2023: Follow all the latest news from Collingwood training as Taylor Adams ruled out

Taylor Adams was the first player out on the track at Collingwood training this morning – but it didn’t go well. Get the latest selection news from the club.

Taylor Adams is in a race against time to be fit for the grand final. Picture: Michael Klein

Collingwood vice-captain Taylor Adams has been ruled out of Saturday’s AFL grand final against Brisbane.

In heartbreaking news for Adams, he suffered hamstring awareness in a light training session on Tuesday morning, with the club swiftly ruling him out of the equation.

Collingwood general manager of football Graham Wright confirmed that Adams’ hopes of proving his fitness had been dashed.

He said the Magpies would “wrap” their arms around the popular forward-midfielder after he came from the field looking downcast during Tuesday’s session.

Taylor Adams has been ruled out of Saturday’s grand final. Picture: Michael Klein.

“Unfortunate news for Taylor Adams who experienced hamstring awareness during training (on Tuesday) which will see him miss the Grand Final,” Wright said.

“Taylor is an ultimate professional and a true leader both on and off the field, and we will wrap our arms around him and continue to support him this week.

“Taylor was incredibly eager to be out there with his teammates and left no stone unturned in his rehabilitation and recovery and we all share in his disappointment.”

Adams had been a member of the Magpies’ shattering 2018 grand final loss to West Coast and was desperate to chase his maiden flag on Saturday.

He had played all but two games this year in a season – in which he reached his 200th AFL game – but he missed last week’s preliminary final thriller against his old side GWS Giants after suffering a low grade hamstring strain in a match simulation last Friday week.

He had been upbeat about his chance of providing his fitness and had been spending hours in the hyperbaric chamber to try and fast track his return.

But club officials always knew it was going to be a difficult mountain to climb.

The club expects him to still play an off-field leadership role within the team in the lead-up to Saturday’s clash with the Lions, despite his disappointment.

Adams didn’t last long at Collingwood training on Tuesday morning. Picture: Michael Klein

The midfielder walked off the track and straight down to the player’s area with the physio. Picture: Michael Klein.

Earlier, Adams was the first player to step on track at 9.20am and appeared to work through a standard warm-up.

The midfielder showed no signs of the hamstring injury as he charged through high-speed running and then took shots on goal.

But after a kick at goal, he immediately walked to a member of the Magpie support staff and then walked from the track, looking unhappy.

Adams went straight downstairs to the player’s area at 9.50am and a physio followed him down, before returning to talk to Magpies football boss Graham Wright.

A team of physios had a more extensive chat with Wright later during the session.

Adams did not return from the rooms as his teammates went through a full two-hour session.

Saturday’s grand final will be 15 days since he twinged his hamstring at training.

Collingwood coach Craig McRae had said Adams would have a “light” session on Tuesdaybut he didn’t join the likes of Darcy Moore and Jeremy Howe in doing light jogging away from the group during training.

Neither Howe nor Moore took part in full-ground match simulation, with Howe walking from the track with a smile on his face just as the group broke into the simulation.

A full contingent was on hand for the session in front of about 5000 Collingwood fans, with devastated forward Dan McStay watching on and, at one point, having a chat with club vice-president Paul Licuria from the sidelines.

Adams looked OK early. Picture: Michael Klein.

It started well - but Taylor Adams left the track displeased on Tuesday and showed few signs that he will be able to return for the #AFLGF

👉 @Josh__Barnes has the latest: https://t.co/xgsQOWjlPJpic.twitter.com/dKRHOS397B

— SuperFooty (AFL) (@superfooty) September 26, 2023

Changing tops

The Magpies may have tipped their hat during match simulation to how they will replace McStay, when swingman Billy Frampton was stationed deep forward.

Frampton played as the deepest Magpie forward for the entire full-ground drill, mimicking McStay’s marking target role up forward.

He began the session in a white jumper, but swapped to black, the colour most first-choice players were wearing.

Frampton has largely played as a key defender for Collingwood in his 15 games this year but did kick multiple goals against Gold Coast in round 16 and also rucked early in the season.

He found himself in the right spots during match simulation and presented as a strong target in the air and if picked, could be pushed into a role as a defensive forward on Brisbane Lions star Harris Andrews.

Pat Lipinski after the two-hour session. Picture: Michael Klein.

Jack Ginnivan also swapped into black during training and is a live option to replace McStay, should the Magpies choose to go smaller in attack.

John Noble went the other way, changing into white.

Midfielder Pat Lipinski wore black throughout the session.

Not all first choice players were in black, with Mason Cox in white as he rucked against Darcy Cameron.

Cox, who always wears strapping on his right shoulder, also sported a rib guard on his left side during the session.

Quick movement

Assistant coach Scott Selwood implored the Magpies to shift the angles when in attack on Monday and on Tuesday, the Pies showed some sign of their trademark slingshot ball movement.

Collingwood has battled to score this finals series, having won its two finals by narrow margins having failed to kick 10 goals in either game.

But at times on Tuesday that quick ball movement was back and at one point Bobby Hill broke through out the back of the defence to set up a goal for Jordan De Goey.

Originally published as AFL grand final 2023: Follow all the latest news from Collingwood training as Taylor Adams ruled out