JUST over 12 months ago while Greater Western Sydney was gearing up for a finals campaign, defenders Matt Buntine and Adam Kennedy were sweating through torturous training sessions at a London gym.
Both players had undergone knee reconstructions earlier in the season and took the chance to head to Europe for some specialist rehabilitation, and a short holiday to escape the daily grind of the footy club.
As their teammates prepared for a second straight September campaign, a steely focus to play a part in the finals this year helped Buntine and Kennedy – who also missed out in 2016 – through some grueling days.
After working their way back to senior footy this year, Kennedy has now played the past eight games, Buntine the past seven, and on Saturday night get a chance to play their second final when the Giants clash with Collingwood at the MCG.
Buntine is set to play his 50th game in a milestone that has taken him almost seven seasons.
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"Just getting back to play a game was the goal first and foremost, but there was also that burning desire to come back and be a part of the big moments," he told AFL.com.au this week.
"It lights a fire underneath you when nobody is watching you and you're half a world away doing those tough sessions."
The 24-year-old played a key role in last week's elimination final win over Sydney at the SCG, shutting down Tom McCartin despite giving away plenty of size to the young forward.
GWS coach Leon Cameron elected to go with the versatile Buntine over Lachie Keeffe and it paid dividends, with the Swans teenager held scoreless from three possessions, the first of which he gathered midway through the third quarter.
"It meant a lot that Leon gave me the opportunity last week," Buntine said.
"The trip to Europe (last year) was good but you'd trade that in any day of the week to have the feeling we experienced at the end of the game.
"That's what you play football for and this week is the same, to play at the MCG in front of a big crowd in September."
Cameron is full of admiration for the way Buntine and Kennedy, along with Zac Williams who played his first game for the year against Sydney after rupturing his Achilles in January, have fought back from serious injuries.
"We really value Matty Buntine, Adam Kennedy and Zac Williams, those guys have had to do it hard over the past couple of years, and no doubt they value every minute of finals footy they get to play," he said.
"I thought they were terrific last week and we expect the same on Saturday night and they're going to make it incredibly hard for Collingwood to score."
Buntine, Kennedy and Williams, along with Nick Haynes and Sam Reid, will be crucial to the Giants' chances of beating the Magpies, with the home side boasting some exciting mid-sized goalkickers all capable of hitting the scoreboard.
Led by former Giant Will Hoskin-Elliott (39 goals in 2018), Jordan De Goey (38), Josh Thomas (36) and this year's NAB AFL Rising Star winner Jaidyn Stephenson (35), the Pies' forward line contains plenty of potency at ground level.
"Hopefully the mids are kicking it our way and it's not coming down back," Buntine said with a laugh.
"But we have full faith in anyone that comes down, we just have to be really tough and disciplined on whoever we play on, and back each other in to do the job.
"It's certainly going to be an enthralling battle and we're really looking forward to it."
