Common sense states that only fit players should be selected for cut-throat finals games. The risk of losing a man early in a do-or-die clash is too great.
And yet, when the player under question is a bona-fide star of the competition, the temptation to roll the dice and ‘see what happens’ is overwhelming. Geelong is the latest club to be faced with such temptation as it prepares for its knock-out semi final clash with North Melbourne tonight.
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In case you missed it, Steve Johnson – the irrepressible Stevie J – has a hot spot in his foot. In Geelong sides of the past it would not have mattered so much. He would have been ruled out of contention and the team would just get on with its job of winning football matches.
But this is not the all-conquering Geelong of the past. Granted, they are still a fantastic football side, but the wins aren’t quite so assured as they once were and tonight’s game against the Kangaroos cannot be considered to be a mere warm up for next week’s preliminary final.
Hence the pressing concern around potential match winner Stevie J.
Do you play him and hope that his foot stands up and he can contribute in the way he is accustomed to? Or do you rest him in the hope that the Cats get home against the Roos, and use him to bolster the side next week?
These are the decisions that turn coaches grey!
Geelong’s coach, Chris Scott, remained coy when questioned about Johnson’s place in the team earlier in the week.
“He trained ok today,” said Scott on Wednesday afternoon. “We still haven’t made a decision on whether we’ll play him or not. But right at the moment we’re not treating him any differently to any of our other players. There’s no need for a fitness test. He trained and now we’ll make a good decision, hopefully.”
It’s a typically measured response from a coach not wanting to give too much away. But footy fans have eyes and anyone watching last weekend’s game would have realised that Johnson was well below his best and that his place in this week’s team must surely be in jeopardy.
With that in mind, it is interesting that the media’s medical go-to man, Dr. Peter Larkins, is extremely confident that Johnson will take his place in the Geelong line up. While admitting that there is the possibility that putting too much stress through the foot may cause a break, the good Doctor goes onto say, “I think Geelong will modify his training this week so he doesn’t risk putting too much load through his foot and I think he is practically 100 per cent sure to play against North Melbourne.”
AFL 360 regular David King also thinks Johnson should play. Speaking on the show Wednesday night, King agreed that Johnson was being hampered by his troublesome foot, but suggested that the mercurial Cat should perhaps be relocated to a permanent forward position.
The idea has some merit. Johnson can kick a goal, we all know that, and his freakish ability would surely allow him to conjure up something from nothing, even if only on one leg.
It would do little to protect Johnson’s foot though. If he is going to break down, he is going to break down. Playing up forward won’t remove the danger of aggravating his injury.
So what do Geelong do?
What they shouldn’t do is leave the decision to the player himself. Unless the player immediately declares himself unfit, the final decision should rest with the medical staff.
Putting the onus back onto the player is not only a cop-out, but a dereliction of duty by club doctors and coaches.
Yes, players know their own bodies, but the lure of a big finals game may see them take risks with their physical health that they wouldn’t usually take. That type of decision needs to be taken away from them – for their own sake and for the sake of their team.
Trent Croad didn’t regret taking the risk to declare himself fit for Hawthorn’s 2008 grand final side, even after limping from the ground with a shattered foot less than half way through the game. Why would he? He got his premiership medal and fulfilled a boyhood dream of playing in a winning grand final.
Hawthorn didn’t appear to care either. They won and the potential ramification of Croad’s injury was lost amid the celebratory popping of champagne corks afterwards. But what if – the welfare of the player concerned aside – Hawthorn had lost another one or two players to injury that day and ran out of options on the bench? What if Geelong had steamrolled past them and taken the victory?
Trent Croad’s feel-good story would have turned toxic pretty quickly thereafter.
The same could happen to Geelong tonight. Should Johnson declare himself fit and then break down, it could all end in tears for the Cats and their supporters. But then again, he is just as likely to kick six goals and prove to be the match winner.
It is such a fine line. I’m glad it isn’t my decision!
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