Swans confirm McGlynn will miss grand final

Updated September 25, 2012 17:27:05

Sydney has confirmed Ben McGlynn will miss the grand final due to the hamstring injury suffered three weeks ago.

McGlynn failed a sprint test on Tuesday afternoon, ending his unlikely bid for recovery.

The small forward felt the injury in the fourth quarter of Sydney's qualifying final victory over Adelaide, ending the match in tears on the sideline.

"He did a sprint test before training and whilst he sprinted once, when he sprinted again he had some discomfort so really he failed that test in order to train," Swans physiotherapist Matt Cameron said.

"Not being able to train today and Thursday means he is unfortunately out of this game."

Swans coach John Longmire, who was spared having to make a difficult decision on Thursday, said everyone at the club felt sorry for McGlynn.

"Since the initial disappointment after the qualifying final against the Crows, Benny has been extremely positive about his recovery," Longmire said.

"He has been in at the club at every available opportunity and I'm positive there is nothing more he could have done to make himself available to play.

"Ben has played a big role in getting us to Saturday's match and everyone at the club is disappointed he can't play," he said.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000

First posted September 25, 2012 17:27:05

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Guerra, McGlynn must prove fitness

Updated September 24, 2012 12:50:08

Four-time premiership-winning coach Leigh Matthews says he would take some convincing before he risked Brent Guerra or Ben McGlynn in Saturday's grand final.

Hawthorn's Guerra and Sydney's McGlynn are desperately trying to recover in time from hamstring injuries and return to their sides for the match.

Guerra suffered a serious hamstring injury in round 23, while McGlynn was in tears after his strain during the qualifying final win over Adelaide.

Normally, neither side would even consider recalling the players so soon after hamstring injuries.

But given it is the grand final, Guerra and McGlynn are being given every chance to show they can return.

They will have to train at full intensity on Tuesday and then back up on Thursday to have any chance of earning a recall.

Matthews, now an AFL commentator, told Channel Seven's Game Day he would be "very, very nervous" about picking either player.

"The problem with that kind of injury, is the fitness test accurate?," he said.

"It is maybe with shoulders and upper bodies, but (it's a) hamstring."

Matthew famously put Nigel Lappin through a vigorous fitness test on his broken ribs before clearing him for the 2003 grand final.

Hawks football manager Mark Evans said Guerra had done everything right in his recovery, but now had to step up to match intensity.

"You would always rather know earlier in the week than later, but we do have two main training sessions," Evans said.

"It would depend how he went in that first session as to whether we could declare him in or out from there, or whether you'd to wait and see how he'd recovered from that.

"If he is going to play, he's going to have to lift the intensity from where he's been at.

"He's been building over the last three weeks into some good running, agility and light skills - he'd need to go through full intensity running, full intensity training, full skills ... with no awareness and then pull up well out of that."

In other injury news, Sydney's All-Australian defender Ted Richards will play despite hurting his ankle in the Friday night preliminary final win over Collingwood.

Hawks captain Luke Hodge missed their preliminary final win over Adelaide with gastro, but he could be back at the club by Monday and is a near-certainty to play.

Team-mates David Hale (head knock) and Xavier Ellis (cramp) should also be available.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, hawthorn-3122, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, vic

First posted September 24, 2012 11:03:11

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McGlynn set to miss prelim final

Updated September 17, 2012 13:49:16

Sydney coach John Longmire has all but confirmed Ben McGlynn will miss Friday night's AFL preliminary final against Collingwood.

It was initially suspected McGlynn's season would definitely be over after injuring his hamstring in week one of the finals against Adelaide.

However, the small forward was given the less severe prognosis of 2-3 weeks, and since then has been working on rehabilitation with a similar tenacity to what he shows on the field.

But Longmire admitted on Monday it's "highly unlikely" McGlynn will retain his spot in the side that downed the Crows by 29 points, with Heath Grundy set to return from suspension in his place.

"The scans showed it wasn't as bad as it could have been and that was the positive Benny took out of it and from that point he's been really positive about getting his rehab right," Longmire said.

"He's coming along a lot better - with the initial disappointment we thought the worst.

"He's unlikely to play this week, highly unlikely - but he's doing everything he can to be right."

Longmire, who is gearing up for the biggest game of his coaching career, does not typically play mind games with selection.

The former North Melbourne forward, who won a premiership in his last game in 1999, said Grundy was assured of McGlynn's place in the side.

But he would not rule out further tweaking the team that will battle the Magpies for a place in the grand final.

"Heath will come straight back in and what else we put around that - we're still yet to settle on that," he said.

"We'll think about it a bit today and a bit more in the next couple of days - about what the team balance looks like."

Longmire, who was at the MCG to watch Collingwood edge West Coat last Saturday, was full of praise for the Magpies, especially their fierce pressure.

The Swans completed a closed training session on Monday morning at Sydney's Olympic stadium, the venue for Friday night's clash that is predicted to draw a crowd of over 60,000.

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, sydney-2000, nsw, australia

First posted September 17, 2012 13:46:57

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Goodes, McGlynn sink Lions

Published:Saturday, June 4, 2011 10:05 AEST

Adam Goodes and Ben McGlynn of the Swans celebrate a goal by Ben McGlynn during the round 11 AFL match between the Brisbane Lions and the Sydney Swans at the Gabba on June 4, 2011.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000

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McGlynn celebrates against Roos

Published:Saturday, May 28, 2011 4:51 AEST

Ben McGlynn of the Swans celebrates kicking a goal during the round 10 AFL match against North Melbourne at Docklands on May 28, 2011 in Melbourne.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, nsw, sydney-2000, vic, melbourne-3000

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