The status of Jeremy McGovern is the main storyline ahead of this weekend’s AFL grand final between West Coast and Collingwood.
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The league-leader in contested marks is dealing with a hip injury suffered in last week’s preliminary final against Melbourne and is yet to train properly this week. He’s got a lot of fitness tests to pass before a final decision is made on his participation in the grand final.
“He’s getting better every minute. We’re anticipating him to play, we’ve just got a few boxes to tick.“ – West Coast coach Adam Simpson
Nathan Buckley, Simpson’s counterpart, said Collingwood were also preparing as if McGovern would play.
Eagles already beat Magpies twice this season
His presence will be essential in Eagles’ chances of besting The Magpies, a team they’ve already beaten twice this season. Buckley does not seem overly concerned about the past, saying:
“…we’re continuing to improve. We seem to be playing some of our best footy and have momentum at the right time of the year.”
The predicted inclement weather could also have an effect on the match’s outcome, although the coaches are reluctant to admit it. “The rain doesn’t matter. We’re okay with the weather.” – said coach Simpson.
West Coast and Collingwood to maintain respect regardless of final score
Both teams have gone through some tough times over the past few years, developing resilience and respect for each other.
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“Both clubs have been very resilient in the last three or four years,”
“It takes time to foster that. We can’t wait to play.
“I feel like we’re in a position where there’s a lot of connection with our players and our staff.
“Win, lose or draw we will hold our heads high and stay together.” – Adam Simpson
AFL grand final start time and date
The AFL grand final will be played on Saturday, September 29 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground at 14:30 local time or 06:30 Central European Time. Around 100.000 fans are expected to show up for the final, with millions more watching from the comforts of their Australian homes.
