The Sydney Swans’ decision to play an underdone Sam Reid in Saturday’s Grand Final amid an adductor issue has come under fire after the veteran forward was subbed out of the game early in the third quarter.
The 30-year old looked proppy moving around the ground in the first half and had limited impact, tallying four disposals and even going down to the rooms just before the main break in the hands of trainers.
It came as Geelong bursted out of the gates in the first half to lead the Swans by 36 points in the MCG premiership decider.
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Reid went into the game under an injury cloud after getting subbed out of last week’s preliminary final win over Collingwood with what the club called adductor “tightness”, not a strain as previously reported, claiming it was a precautionary move.
“He would have that sinking feeling, firstly that he hasn’t been able to contribute, and then your mind starts buzzing about, have you let the team down? Those kind of thing. Their problems run deeper than Reid today, but it was always meant to be a big call and it hasn’t fallen their way,” Channel 7 called Daisy Pearce noted.
It comes after Max Holmes was the heartbreak story for the grand final after being a late out with a hamstring issue despite being considered more likely to play than Reid earlier this week.
Reid was seen on the interchange getting a massage from a trainer before the sub was made as Braeden Campbell entered the game.
