BEYOND THE BOUNDARY – AUGUST 20 – MICHAEL FITZGERALD
Queenscliff will wait until the last minute to make a call on whether to play Izaac Grant in tomorrow’s Bellarine qualifying final against Torquay, just eight weeks after he suffered a ruptured spleen.
The Coutas newcomer kicked 40 goals in the opening 12 rounds after arriving from Central Highlands club Hepburn in the off-season.
Grant’s best return of the season was a seven-goal haul against Ocean Grove in Round 12, but it was late in the win over the Grubbers that he suffered the injury that landed him in hospital.
Queenscliff coach Heath Jamieson says Grant trained both nights this week and was due to meet with a sports doctor today.
“He always had the first final in his mind (as a return date),” Jamieson said.
“We don’t want to get in the way of people when they’re trying to get back because I think it’s good motivation for them.
“So we’ve left that in his hands. It’s all up to Isaac and his specialists and his doctors.
“We’ll see how it goes.”
After being managed out of last week’s double chance-clinching draw with Queenscliff, captain Caleb Whitley and the dynamic Will Baker return, along with young forward Jordy Monahan.
However, Jordy McIvor-Clark has suffered another hamstring issue.
“He’s not fully tearing it, but he’s just having some real awareness every time he does it,” Jamieson said
“He did it on Saturday but was still able to run a bit on Tuesday night.
“He definitely won’t play this week, and he’ll be a decision for us next week whether we take that risk.”
If Grant doesn’t play, Round 18 debutant Luke Adam will make his second senior appearance.
“Getting him in has been a bit harder, but once he was to come into the team, we knew he was good enough to play,” Jamieson.
“So if he gets that opportunity again, it’s a good story.
“He’s a good Queenscliff kid; he’s a big man mountain, plays a number of positions, which becomes valuable for a coach if things do happen in a final where we have to swing players around,
“Someone who can play back, forward and in the ruck becomes pretty important.”
Queenscliff won both home-and-away meetings against the Tigers, including an eight-point victory a fortnight ago.
Tomorrow’s clash will be the Coutas’ first finals appearance since 2018, with Whtley and Che Durran the only players remaining at senior level for the club from that elimination final loss to Geelong Amateur.
However, Jamieson has played down Queenscliff’s finals experience compared to Torquay’s, which is chasing a club-first hat-trick of premierships.
“Probably the least thing that I care about is what’s happened early this year and Torquay’s finals record,” he said.
“That probably is the furthest away from my mind as it can be. We’re just excited to be playing.
“There are seven sides that would love to be in our position on Saturday; we’re lucky enough to be in that.
“We’re pretty confident that we’ve got a game style that can worry other teams, and that’s probably been proven throughout the year.
“But if you don’t produce it on the big stage, there’s no use having it.”
Torquay has made seven changes to the team that suffered a shock loss to Ocean Grove in Round 18.
Ollie Tate, Charlie Ham, Tynan Smith, Lucas Anderson, Mackenzie Burns, Jesse Dawson and Paddy Hughes all return for the Tigers.
The only forced out for the two-time reigning premier is Clay Page.
As reported yesterday, Drysdale will welcome back star midfielder Ben Fennell and talented youngster James Robbins for Sunday’s elimination final, also at Portarlington Recreation Reserve.
They replace the injured Lauchie Dalgleish and Sunraysia recruit Paddy Power.
Anglesea has named Noah McGregor-Dawson for his first appearance since Round 8, with Tyler Macleod recalled from the reserves.
Young gun Charlie Lawless will be sidelined, with Baxter Morris omitted.
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