FOR THE second time in his 204-game career, Geelong defender Harry Taylor was on Friday night forced to play out a big final with a broken hand.

Taylor, who broke his hand in the first quarter of the 2009 Grand Final, suffered the same injury in the second quarter of Friday night's preliminary final against the Sydney Swans.

He revealed the extent of the injury, which seriously hampered him in the second half against the Swans, as he entered the Brownlow Medal on Monday night.

"I unfortunately broke it in the second quarter. I had some screws put in it Saturday after the game," the veteran backman said.  

"Not ideal, but that's the way it goes.

"It's just unfortunate the way the season ended for the team and not what we wanted."

Taylor was one of the heroes of the Cats' 2009 premiership, playing on Nick Riewoldt and taking a game-saving mark in the final minute of the thrilling decider.   

The injury, which occurred when his hand was punched from behind, only became apparent post-match when he couldn't shake hands with opponents.