Brisbane have made the heartbreaking decision to keep an unchanged line-up for the 2023 AFL grand final, with defender Jack Payne unable to earn a recall despite passing all fitness tests in his recovery from an ankle injury.
Payne had missed just one match for the season before being ruled out of the Lions’ preliminary final with the injury, sustained during their qualifying final win over Port Adelaide.
While the injury was significant enough to put his grand final hopes in jeopardy, Payne reportedly passed all fitness tests during the week, but the Lions opted to retain replacement key defender Darcy Gardiner, who held star Carlton forward Charlie Curnow to just eight disposals and a goal in the preliminary final.
That was just Gardiner’s third match of the season after shoulder and leg injuries delayed his start to the year, before the form of Payne in defence kept him in the Lions’ VFL team.
It is expected veteran Jarryd Lyons will once again be the Lions’ substitute.
Collingwood have made a surprise selection swing of their own, recalling forward Jack Ginnivan into the starting 22 after spending the first two finals as the team’s sub. Patrick Lipinski has been omitted but is expected to be named sub when final teams are announced an hour before Saturday’s grand final, according to reports.
As was confirmed by coach Craig McRae on Wednesday, the knee injury sustained by Daniel McStay in the Pies’ thrilling preliminary final win over GWS has seen him replaced by swingman Billy Frampton, for his first senior appearance since the final home-and-away round.
Jack Payne. (Photo by Russell Freeman/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Grand final teams
Collingwood
B: 28 Nathan Murphy, 30 Darcy Moore (c), 38 Jeremy Howe
HB: 4 Brayden Maynard, 17 Billy Frampton, 3 Isaac Quaynor
C: 22 Steele Sidebottom, 10 Scott Pendlebury, 37 Oleg Markov
HF: 23 Bobby Hill, 41 Brody Mihocek, 5 Jamie Elliott
F: 31 Beau McCreery, 2 Jordan De Goey, 7 Josh Daicos
R: 46 Mason Cox, 35 Nick Daicos, 25 Jack Crisp
I/C: 6 Tom Mitchell, 14 Darcy Cameron, 32 Will Hoskin-Elliott, 33 Jack Ginnivan
Sub (not yet confirmed): 1 Patrick Lipinski
EMG: 9 John Noble, 18 Finlay Macrae, 36 Harvey Harrison
Brisbane Lions
B: 37 Brandon Starcevich, 31 Harris Andrews (c), 27 Darcy Gardiner
HB: 26 Conor McKenna, 35 Ryan Lester, 18 Keidean Coleman
C: 6 Hugh McCluggage, 5 Josh Dunkley, 15 Dayne Zorko
HF: 23 Charlie Cameron, 30 Eric Hipwood, 4 Callum Ah Chee
F: 16 Cam Rayner, 3 Joe Daniher, 33 Zac Bailey
R: 46 Oscar McInerney, 9 Lachie Neale (c), 7 Jarrod Berry
I/C: 2 Deven Robertson, 11 Lincoln McCarthy, 28 Jaspa Fletcher, 44 Darcy Wilmot
Sub (not yet confirmed): 17 Jarryd Lyons
EMG: 29 James Tunstill, 32 Darcy Fort, 40 Jack Payne
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