Collingwood forward Dan McStay looms as a grand final heartbreak tale after limping from the field and being subbed out of the thrilling win over GWS on Friday night.
But there appears to be good news for skipper Darcy Moore, despite his ankle clearly ballooning during the match.
McStay’s leg got caught up under Giants defender Jack Buckley in a nasty looking collision in the third term and didn’t play any further part after three-quarter time.
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Fox Footy’s Jordan Lewis feared McStay’s year was done judging by the reaction of his teammates post-siren.
“A few of the players looked quite emotional as they went to him after the game,” he said.
Magpies coach Craig McRae confirmed McStay would be off for scans as soon as possible.
“I’m not sure if it’s an MCL. I’m not sure,” he told media in his press conference.
“I don’t want to put a definite decision on it but I think he might be unlucky to miss out. We’ll wait and see (on the scans).
“You just put your arms around him and show love and support as best you can.
“If he doesn’t quite get up, he’ll be missed.”
Fox Footy’s Jon Ralph described McStay as a “potential heartbreak story” for Collingwood as the side reached their first grand final since 2018.
“Unfortunately, had his knee trapped and potentially bent sideways in an incident with Jack Buckley,” he said.
“It wasn’t anything deliberate but the collateral damage was significant.
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“He had it strapped up, tried to get back on the field. Wasn’t even able to test it on the field.
“Collingwood is saying right now only it’s a knee sprain – they’ll be worried it’s a medial ligament at best. At worst, potentially a PCL.
“I asked him how he was, he said ‘it’s not great’. Certainly as he was being consoled by his family there was an area of resignation there so I think a lot would have to go right for Dan McStay to be able to play.”
Moore shrugged off any concern over his fitness when speaking post-match, despite cameras showing his ankle clearly swollen during the match.
“It’ll be right – it’ll live in an ice bucket for a couple of days but it’ll be right,” he told 7Sport.
Ralph described Moore’s injury as a “routine ankle roll” and confirmed the skipper was “fine post match”.
The other injury concern for Collingwood is veteran Taylor Adams who missed the one-point preliminary final over GWS with a hamstring complaint.
Despite the issue being minor, he was ruled out of Friday’s match and Ralph warned the club may opt to follow Geelong’s lead and not risk him at all – like they did with Max Holmes in the grand final last season.
“It’s almost an impossible decision for Craig McRae and the coaching staff,” Ralph said on Adams.
“It was less than a grade one strain. Having spoken to some Pies coaches … it was almost a cramp – that’s how insignificant the hamstring issue was – yet we’ve seen players that are brought into finals less than 100 per cent (fit) and then obviously coming out of those games early on. It just throws the coaching panel for an entire loop.
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“We saw last year with Geelong and Max Holmes – he passed every inconceivable test and yet still was not played by the Geelong coaching staff.
“You’d have to say he’s (Adams) going to be extremely doubtful.
“It’s a tough decision.
“It’ll be an old fashioned race against time.”
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