Max Holmes looms as Geelong’s heartbreak tale with the youngster limping off in the preliminary final with an apparent hamstring injury.
Holmes had been out on the wing of the MCG when he pulled up lame on Friday night.
He immediately made his way to the bench and then cut a devastated figure on the sidelines as he buried his head into the turf.
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“What are we seeing with Holmes?” commentator James Brayshaw said.
“It’s a distressed looking Holmes.”
Commentator Matthew Richardson said he feared Holmes knew the extent of his injury.
“He knows what’s on the line here – let’s hope it’s not a strained muscle or something serious,” he said.
“You know when you’re injured – it’s not good for him.
“You’ve got to feel for the boy.”
Brian Taylor said there were “hard luck stories” in footy and it was a tough pill to swallow for Holmes, should the Cats go on and win the preliminary final.
“It’s not good – and that’s why he’s showing the disappointment,” Taylor said.
“That is a shocker if that is the case.”
Mark O’Connor was activated as the medi sub before three quarter time, and could be the man to come into the line up for a potential grand final berth.
“You assume you’re the first one in if you’re the sub, but Brandan Parfitt’s had a good year, (Sam) Menegola’s been making his way back. You never know with the Cats,” Jimmy Bartel said.
“O’Connor gives you that flexibility.”
“Where there’s a heartbreaking story in Holmes, there’s the opportunity for O’Connor and Parfitt and those players,” Taylor added.
The Cats weren’t the only side to activate their sub in the third term after Brisbane’s night went from bad to worse with youngster Cam Rayner limping from the field.
Rayner had been one of his side’s best in the preliminary final at the MCG, before a tangle of legs with teammate Dan McStay cut short the Lion’s night in the third term.
As both McStay and Rayner competed in the air, the youngster’s ankle got caught underneath his teammate.
The game was stopped as Rayner was unable to get to his feet unassisted.
“Player welfare the AFL’s number one priority in this situation, absolutely as it should be,” commentator James Brayshaw said.
“Friendly fire there with McStay landing his foot in exactly the wrong spot for Cam Rayner, who has been really good.
“That’s a very ginger Cam Rayner exiting the MCG.”
Rayner was helped from the field by two trainers before medical staff attempted to re-strap the injured right ankle.
“If this was a sprain, he’d be up by now I reckon,” commentator Brian Taylor said as Rayner stayed down.
“He can’t get any weight on that ankle at all.”
Commentator Daisy Pearce feared the injury was worse than first feared.
“Looks nasty doesn’t it? Normally an ankle, if it is just a sprain or a little stinger, you can usually get it moving, get to your feet. He’s in a lot of pain,” she said.
“He’s been one of the few to get out of stoppage.”
Rayner was able to warm up on the sidelines and return to the contest after eight minutes off for treatment.
But he didn’t last more than two minutes as the substitution was made in the third term.
