Geelong defender Sam Hunt is poised to make his return from a hamstring injury in Sunday’s VFL grand final against Coburg, ending a fortnight of tension after watching the Cats from the sidelines.
Hunt, who tore his hamstring in the Cats’ round-19 victory over Werribee, admitted Saturday’s pulsating third quarter against North Ballarat was almost unbearable to watch, given a loss would have terminated his chances of playing again this season.
“On the weekend I was getting into the game a bit when they looked like they were in a bit of trouble there towards the end of the third quarter. I started to get a bit worried because I knew that my only chance of playing was in the grand final,” he said.
“I guess when you’re watching, you just put yourself in positions out there where you think you might be able to help and where you think you would be playing if you were out there and what you’d do.
“Obviously it’s easier watching the game than it is playing the game, but it probably was a bit nerve wracking knowing that if the boys lost it was all over for my season.
“With just a bit of hope there that I might be able to come back for the grand final it did make it a bit nerve wracking.”
Hunt said watching the side thrash it out to make consecutive grand finals fueled his desire to get back into the line-up this week.
Initial diagnoses in mid-August said he would struggle return this season, but after constant recovery and treatment, he received a fortunate change of luck on Monday.
“It’s been four weeks on Saturday since I tore it, and since then I’ve done everything possible to get myself right – I’ve done every recovery session and really looked after it.
“It’s come good this week … hopefully it keeps going that way for the rest of the week and I can get myself in the side.”
This time last year, the versatile defender forged a reputation as a big-game match-winner after producing season-best football in the Cats’ finals campaign, which subsequently earned him senior promotion.
Hunt said he hoped the bitter disappointment of last year’s grand final loss, where they hit the skids in the first half to fall well behind the eight-ball, would resonate on Sunday and prove to be the catalyst that drives the side to premiership glory.
“Missing out last year was disappointing and I’ve been on a list for a while now and I’ve realised how rare grand finals are. When you get the chance to play in them you’ve really got to try and do it,” he said.
“We’ve got a good young side in and I just hope the blokes who were there last year are hungry because we lost and the new blokes who weren’t there, really want to win it for us.
