Geelong forward Paul Chapman has completed a behind closed doors training session, but the guessing game over whether he’ll play in Saturday’s AFL grand final looks set to continue until teams are named tomorrow night.
Chapman trained with teammates at Skilled Stadium this afternoon hoping to prove he has overcome a hamstring injury, with the Cats locking fans and media out of the session.
Amid surreal scenes as helicopters hovered over the ground in an attempt to capture television footage of the session, the indications were Chapman trained fully and freely and is likely to be selected in the Cats’ 22 to play Hawthorn at the MCG on Saturday.
But if the 26-year-old is fit, that will mean a player will have to be dropped — with defender David Wojcinski or forward Tom Lonergan believed most at risk.
Two Cats players experienced grand final heartache last year.
Ruckman Mark Blake was dropped in the week leading up to the grand final, while defender Matthew Egan injured his foot late in the year and missed out on the finals series.
“I don’t know who it is – I couldn’t tell you,” Geelong defender Darren Milburn said when asked if he knew who might miss out this time around.
“Whenever you’re going into a game, there’s always someone who misses out.
“Eages (Egan) was a prime example last year. He was injured heading towards the finals and couldn’t play after playing all year.
“Hawthorn have probably got the same thing, it’s just part of footy.”
