Grant Birchall returns after 2 years out...

[Dragz]

I heard on the grapevine a few weeks ago that his knee was fine, but he had hamstring related injuries. <shrug>

 

[Milkshaker]

No way Birch comes back in this year. Been out for too long. Not based on anything other than 30 odd years of playing contact sport and following AFL. Has left his run half a dozen games short which is a bugger.

Disclaimer: He is a gun a la Burgers. Egg face .

 

[Walshawk]

Could he play finals at Box Hill?

He needs to play one regular season VFL game to be officially available for all VFL finals. However, rules can be bent a la Cyril 2014. We had to pull out another Hawthorn player (was it Sewell) so Cyril could play that VFL GF.
However, if he was not ready by the finals round, it is probably too late anyway.
Hopefully half a VFL game in two weeks, one VFL Final or two or three then back in for the AFL prelim.

 

[Hawk_francais]

Can't wait to see Birch out there again, have the feeling it will be next year though.

 

[Adelaide Hawk]

Can't wait to see Birch out there again, have the feeling it will be next year though.

No need to bring him back this season. Bring him back fit and raring to go in 2019 and he has at least 3 more seasons of top footy in him.

 

[Davo23]

David O’Halloran?

Haha, I wonder if people get the reference?

 

[Buckemenico]

1985 grand final

 

[Aramis]

Will be interesting to see what happens if Birchall is fit.

Hard to drop anyone at this point. Sicily still to come back too.

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

Will be interesting to see what happens if Birchall is fit.

Hard to drop anyone at this point. Sicily still to come back too.

No way Birchall returns again

 

[MrPremiership]

No way Birchall returns again

why not?

 

[Sir Galahad]

I am a massive fan of Birchall but would've thought he will need a VFL return to see if he's still at the skill level and pace of the modern game; only Cyril comes straight back into the side even if its a GF.

There is one other!

David O’Halloran?

Haha, I wonder if people get the reference?

David O'Halloran's first game of the 1985 season was the GF.

Supplementary answer, for bonus points:
His final two games of league footy were both GFs (83 & 85).

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

why not?

The bung knee. Always a setback.

He will be put on ice soon and repeat next year

 

[MrPremiership]

The bung knee. Always a setback.

He will be put on ice soon and repeat next year

But if his knee is ok, why wouldn't he come back in? If it's not ok, then he doesn't play.

Not sure why we are so quick to forget our champions. He was fantastic when he played last year.

 

[Hawthorn23]

Said it in another thread, but if Birch can proves his fitness and comes back in, it’ll benefit us structurally in many ways.

Jarman has been really handy in defence but I think his return to the forward line is bound to happen if Birch comes back. Breust, Poppy and Jarman will regather some of that mosquito fleet form we had in the early rounds of the year!

 

[eldorado]

Don't know if you caught it, but pre-game, Birch told Moony he would probably be back next week (or definitely the week after)

He's been doing that intensive training block, plus all his accumulated fitness base, might give him a chance to play ones after a week or two at Box Hill

 

[TheFourPillars]

Don't know if you caught it, but pre-game, Birch told Moony he would probably be back next week (or definitely the week after)

He's been doing that intensive training block, plus all his accumulated fitness base, might give him a chance to play ones after a week or two at Box Hill

I got him playing a half this week 3 qtrs the next week a full game the week off and then primed to go week one of finals. That would be the plan barring any setbacks

 

[PLATTS44]

when birch is ready to go i see him in our best 22.

 

[TylerDurden]

He’s a lock for best 22 and a seasoned finals performer. Get him in!

 

[Mojo]

5 games in 2 years & hasn't played a game since Round 15 2017. He's got 2 weeks to permeate our best 22 heading into a finals campaign...

 

[TheFourPillars]

5 games in 2 years & hasn't played a game since Round 15 2017. He's got 2 weeks to permeate our best 22 heading into a finals campaign...

If only u saw him at training delivering the ball inside 50. He is a luxury and a real Joker in the pack for us as we hit finals

 

[lickmerocks]

No chance in the world does Birch play in the ones this season.

Hopefully a couple of games for Box Hill would be perfect and hit next season running.

 

[TheFourPillars]

No chance in the world does Birch play in the ones this season.

Hopefully a couple of games for Box Hill would be perfect and hit next season running.

I gonna say its touch and go.

 

[Gralin]

5 games in 2 years & hasn't played a game since Round 15 2017. He's got 2 weeks to permeate our best 22 heading into a finals campaign...

Rememeber when he came back middle of last year after plenty on here said he was cooked and looked a million bucks?
Dudes skills have been sorely missed, a few guys have been fast tracked because of it, if we can get him back we reap those rewards
We should all be hoping he makes it back

 

[HawthornHawk]

Birch has been able to make an immediate impact whenever he's come back from a lengthy injury, I don't see why it would be any different this finals series

 

[SHAKESPEARE]

We look a million times better with him playing.

Sadly it'll be next year