Sydney small forward Ben McGlynn has finally turned his luck around and is set to return in Saturday’s AFL preliminary final against Fremantle.
McGlynn was last year’s September heartbreak story when he tore his hamstring in the opening week of the finals and failed to recover in time for the Swans’ grand-final win over Hawthorn.
A minor calf strain kept the 28-year-old out of last week’s semi-final against Carlton and had the Swans lost that match it would have meant another sour end to his season.
Injuries to Kurt Tippett and Tom Mitchell in the opening quarter against the Blues wouldn’t have helped McGlynn’s nerves, but his teammates showed immense character and on Wednesday he’ll be on the flight to Perth.
Finally, nearly 10 years after McGlynn was overlooked in both the national and rookie drafts and started out with VFL club Box Hill, he will play in a preliminary final.
“He’s pumped for this game and he’ll be ready to go,” Swans co-captain Jarrad McVeigh said of McGlynn, who moved well at Tuesday’s light training session.
“I’ve seen the way he’s carried himself all through the pre-season. He’s been very hungry and he’s had a really good year.
“He’s probably freshened up after the week and he’ll be ready to run around and cause a bit of trouble.”
McGlynn was close to playing against the Blues, but the underdone Swans didn’t want to take the risk.
Last year he missed one game of the regular season. Prior to skipping the semi-final, he had played every game for the Swans in 2013 bar a three-match suspension.
McGlynn’s tale of finals woe extends back to his time at Hawthorn when he played 44 games in four seasons, but was hampered by injuries in 2008 and managed three matches in the Hawks’ premiership year.