Underdone and straight into finals

[Beutbrute]

What happens when your best player is just getting fit and ready to play on the eve of finals? The pressure and stakes are higher in finals footy, and not the best place to get match fit. It seems that more often than not bringing an underdone player straight in for finals footy ends up being a bust.

Which players have been able to come back in and make an impact straight away, and which ones haven't?
Tempted to have a poll but we all know Jack Watts would win this one even though he's never played a final.

 

[Lsta062]

Judd in 2013 against Richmond. I thought he was done for the season, but then ended up coming in and dragging his side to a SF.

 

[Beutbrute]

Probably the best example for us was Michael Gardiner coming back for the 2005 Grand Final in place of Quentin Lynch and playing a mare

 

[Kram]

Mark Harvey bringing in Des Headland for a semi final when he hadn't played since round 4 was a bonehead decision.

 

[White Dogg]

Ross Lyon bringing in Steven Baker for the 2010 grand final springs to mind.

 

[BallaratBulldog]

2016 elimination final -
Returning from Jordan Roughead's calf injury, Easton Wood and Tom Liberatore's ankle injuries, Jackson Macrae's hamstring tendon problem

All played well.

 

[Beutbrute]

2016 elimination final -
Returning from Jordan Roughead's calf injury, Easton Wood and Tom Liberatore's ankle injuries, Jackson Macrae's hamstring tendon problem

All played well.

I find it hard to like this one

 

[donbooger]

Brad Ottens was thankfully very good at returning and starring for the finals. He did it a few times.

 

[BF Tiger]

Ben Griffiths and Reece Conca being rushed back for the elimination final v NMFC a few years back had a lot of Richmond fans shaking their heads in disbelief... even before it ended terribly.

 

[StillAtLarge]

Heath Shaw 2011 after his 8 week suspension

 

[HairyO]

Cant imagine Nic Nat plays.

 

[kaiserchief13]

Naitanui is going to play

 

[living_in_syd]

Ben Griffiths and Reece Conca being rushed back for the elimination final v NMFC a few years back had a lot of Richmond fans shaking their heads in disbelief... even before it ended terribly.

Hope we don't do it again...

 

[Falchoon]

Ross Lyon bringing in Steven Baker for the 2010 grand final springs to mind.

His man was dropped for the replay....

 

[And_ROOS]

Geelong will be on this list one way or another with Selwood in a few weeks time.

 

[Damon_3388]

Nic Naitanui in the 2017 Elimination Final against Port Adelaide on September 9, 2017, 387 days after he injured his knee, and 59 days after the Philadelphia workout video.

 

[White Dogg]

Geelong will be on this list one way or another with Selwood in a few weeks time.

Cockatoo as well.

 

[donbooger]

Cockatoo as well.

Cockatoo is not Joel Selwood he better be ready if cats put him back. Selwood will play straight out of crutches, we need him.

 

[demondavey]

Brad Ottens was thankfully very good at returning and starring for the finals. He did it a few times.

Clark Keating. Shoulder injuries held him up a lot.

 

[Beutbrute]

Clark Keating

Good pick, he played his best footy in finals. I can't remember fully, did he ever come back from injury straight into finals?

 

[Bokonon_]

Naitanui is going to play

I get it for a player that's really a talisman for the club. For most an early holiday is probably in order though if they aren't hard match fit going into finals.

 

[Gydafud]

Bartel missed the last 2 rounds of the season in 2007 due to a burst appendix and came straight back in to the Qualifying Final. Won the Brownlow that year.

 

[Silent Alarm]

Judd in 2013 against Richmond. I thought he was done for the season, but then ended up coming in and dragging his side to a SF.

Or Richmond just choked and lost to the ninth placed side? His performance really wasn't that gut busting and heroic.

 

[radiojake]

Bartel missed the last 2 rounds of the season in 2007 due to a burst appendix and came straight back in to the Qualifying Final. Won the Brownlow that year.

How many days after the surgery did he play??

I'm just really curious about this .....

 

[The Swert]

Lance Franklin looked like he did his ACL in the 2011 Qualifying Final loss to Geelong.

Everybody was shocked to see him named a week later versus Sydney. He kicked 4 goals.
Then a week later almost dragged his team into the GF with that remarkable dribble goal late in the 4th. It was not to be.