Brisbane has bravely decided to recall dual Brownlow medallist Lachie Neale for Saturday’s grand final against Geelong, but it’s come at the expense of a fellow midfield gun.
Meanwhile, the Cats, too, have made a big selection call on a key player returning from injury, with Rhys Stanley named to take on the Lions at the MCG as Tom Stewart’s replacement.
Neale, miraculously, has recovered from a calf injury that was initially tipped to cost him four-to-six weeks on the sidelines, getting through a big session at Princes Park on Thursday to prove his fitness once and for all.
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But engine room teammate Jarrod Berry devastatingly won’t run out alongside him after injuring his shoulder for the second time in five weeks in last Saturday’s preliminary final win over Collingwood.
A year after veteran ruck Oscar McInerney missed Brisbane’s 2024 premiership triumph with a dislocated shoulder, Berry will miss this time around after succumbing to the same injury.
As for the Cats, Stanley has been named by coach Chris Scott’s selection committee to replace five-time All-Australian defender Stewart, who remains in concussion protocols following a head knock against Hawthorn in last Friday’s preliminary final.
Stanley, who’s played 18 senior games this year as Geelong’s number-one ruck, missed the qualifying final with a hamstring injury then was held out of the preliminary final.
Jed Bews, who was also touted as a potential Stewart replacement, has been named an emergency along with Ollie Henry and Mitch Knevitt.
The move allows versatile weapon Mark Blicavs to potentially play in defence or even play a negating forward role on star Brisbane interceptor Harris Andrews.
GRAND FINAL TEAMS AND FIXTURE (All times AEST)
[2] GEELONG vs [3] BRISBANE
Saturday September 27, 2:30pm at MCG
CATS
B: C.O’Sullivan, S.De Koning, J.Henry
HB: M.O’Connor, Z.Guthrie, L.Humphries
C: G.Miers, M.Holmes, O.Dempsey
HF: B.Close, S.Mannagh, T.Stengle
F: S.Neale, J.Cameron, P.Dangerfield (c)
FOLL: R.Stanley, B.Smith, T.Atkins
I/C: J.Bowes, O.Mullin, M.Blicavs, J.Martin, J.Clark
EMG: M.Knevitt, J.Bews, O.Henry
IN – R.Stanley
OUT – T.Stewart (concussion)
LIONS
B: D.Zorko, D.Gardiner, R.Lester
HB: D.Wilmot, H.Andrews (c), B.Starcevich
C: H.McCluggage, L.Neale, L.Ashcroft
HF: C.Cameron, T.Gallop, Z.Bailey
F: C.Rayner, L.Morris, C.Ah Chee
FOLL: D.Fort, J.Dunkley, W.Ashcroft
I/C: K.Lohmann, J.Fletcher, S.Marshall, B.Reville, O.McInerney
EMG: S.Day, J.Tunstill, D.Joyce
IN – L.Neale
OUT – J.Berry (shoulder)
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