AFL Grand Final: Unlikely Hero Darcy Fort Steps Up as Lions Face Sydney Swans

Brisbane ruck Darcy Fort has earned a shot at AFL grand final glory after replacing the injured Oscar McInerney in the Lions’ side to face Sydney on Saturday, while the Swans have named forward Logan McDonald for his first premiership decider.

But there is more heartbreak for Swans recruit Taylor Adams, as well as captain Callum Mills, as the teams for the showdown at the MCG were confirmed on Thursday night.

Fort won the battle with emerging tall Henry Smith to take McInerney’s spot in the Lions’ grand final team despite playing the last of his two matches this season in round seven. The combative ruck joined Brisbane ahead of the 2022 season and played 27 times for his second club after eight matches with Geelong, but has mostly been on the outer this year.

The 31-year-old will have big boots to fill standing in for McInerney after the Lions’ first-choice ruck twice dislocated his shoulder in their come-from-behind preliminary final win over the Cats last Saturday. The 204cm Fort will now play a critical role combatting Swans ruck Brodie Grundy while allowing Joe Daniher to spend more time closer to goal.

Fort impressed in his only previous final when playing in place of a concussed McInerney against Melbourne and their captain Max Gawn in the 2022 semi-final when the Lions overran the Demons in the last term.

McDonald will line up for the Swans on Saturday after being dropped from the team that was thumped by the Cats in the 2022 grand final. The Swans recalled forward-ruck Hayden McLean for that decider with veteran tall Sam Reid under an injury cloud. Coach John Longmire later conceded that it was a “mistake” to risk Reid against the Cats, in a decision that arguably has had far-reaching consequences as the Swans return to the grand final stage.

The 22-year-old McDonald was substituted out of Sydney’s preliminary final victory over Port Adelaide last Friday night after rolling an ankle just before the last change. The key forward skipped training on Sunday before joining in the Swans’ main session on Wednesday in a bid to prove his fitness.

The Swans' Unchanged Lineup and Adams' Omission

The Swans will go into the grand final unchanged from the side that eased past the Power at the SCG to book their spot in the flag decider, with the versatile Robbie Fox again selected ahead of Adams. The 30-year-old Adams has not even been named as an emergency after playing 19 matches during his first season with the Swans before missing out on a spot in all three of their finals teams.

Adams is again a hard-luck story in the lead in to the grand final after the midfielder missed out on being part of the Collingwood premiership-winning campaign last year due to a hamstring strain sustained in the qualifying final. The Swans had already made the gut-wrenching decision not to recall Mills after training on Wednesday, despite their skipper showing few signs of the hamstring injury that he sustained on 10 September.

Lions' Confidence in Darcy Fort

While Oscar McInerney's absence means Brisbane must change their stoppage strategy, they are supremely confident in Darcy Fort ahead of the AFL grand final.

There is much talk about how the loss of McInerney will give Sydney an edge, given their No.1 ruckman Brodie Grundy is in strong form.

But the Swans are wary of an MCG ambush on Saturday, with assistant coach Dean Cox and Grundy this week doing a lot of research on Fort.

Certainly The Lions have faith in Fort, who last played AFL in round seven and has 35 games across five seasons at Geelong and the Lions.

He returns to the team after McInerney suffered two shoulder dislocations in the preliminary final win over Geelong - the only change for either team.

“Obviously I'm super-disappointed for 'O', you guys all know how much he means to the footy club and how well regarded he is throughout the boys,” teammate Cam Rayner said on Friday.

“But for Forty to come in and get the opportunity, I feel like every year you talk about people saying that ‘you never know what could happen, there could be an injury’ - well this is the perfect example,

“He's been preparing himself for this the whole time so I'm pretty confident he's ready to go.”

Asked if the change of ruckman will change their midfield dynamic, Hugh McCluggage said “oh, it definitely changes” ... but only so much.

“Each game we go in knowing that you don’t actually get a whole lot of clean hits or easy exits from stoppage. A lot of the time it’s a 50-50 ball in there,” McCluggage said.

“So we’re just gonna make sure Forty fights his hardest and creates a contest, which we know he will.

“So I don’t think too much will change. It’s gonna be a little bit different, but we’re confident he can do what he needs to do.”

Cox, who was West Coast’s No.1 ruck in their 2006 premiership, is having nothing of the narrative that McInerney’s absence automatically means a big advantage for the Swans.

“A lot of people certainly look at that, but what Darcy has done for a number of years on an AFL list, I’ve looked at him really heavily, certainly this week,” Cox said.

“Brodie is aware of the mindset he needs to go in with and hopefully it all goes to plan.”

Grundy has enjoyed a resurgence this season since joining Sydney from Melbourne and has relished working with Cox.

“He’s been a pleasure to work with ... his attention to detail, how much he wants to learn and how curious he is with that,” Cox said of Grundy.

“That’s really appealing from a coach’s perspective.

“He’s changed the way we play and hopefully he can have a really big impact come Saturday.”

The Lions have asked permission for McInerney to sit on the bench for the grand final, with injured Sydney captain Callum Mills likely to do the the same for them.

Darcy Fort's Journey to the Grand Final

Darcy Fort could become the most unlikely of premiership heroes for Brisbane as they embargo on the final stage of their redemption.

Fort, 31, will play only his third game of the season when he suits up for the Lions against Sydney in this year’s grand final at the MCG.

The towering 204cm ruckman has been called in after a shoulder injury to Brisbane No.1 ruckman Oscar McInerney in the preliminary final left coach Chris Fagan needing a replacement to tackle Brodie Grundy.

Fort’s journey to the big stage is not linear to most footballers.

Overlooked in his draft year of 2012, Fort went on to play for Werribee and Footscray in the VFL but would struggle for a regular game.

He then moved to Central Districts in the SANFL where he played as a ruckman and a defender as well as worked as a civil engineer from 2016 to 2018.

Heading into the 2018 draft, Fort shot into contention and was selected by Geelong with pick No.65 as a 25-year-old prospect.

Fort would spend the next three years on the Cats’ list stuck behind Rhys Stanley in the pecking order, before once again trying his luck interstate with a move to Brisbane.

It’s at the Lions where he’s played 27 of his 35 AFL games, but after suiting up on 18 occasions in his first year he’s struggled to break in since as the Lions went with the one ruckman in McInerney.

Come the first bounce on Saturday afternoon, all eyes will be on Fort as he plays a pivotal part in the Lions’ pursuit of their first flag in 21 years.

“Darcy Fort’s been our number two ruckman all year — young Henry Smith is not too far behind him, but a little bit less experienced — he’s (Fort) ready made and fit to come in, so he’ll be a logical replacement for Oscar,” Fagan told Fox Sports earlier in the week.

“He’s (McInerney) a big loss, but equally, Darcy Fort is a guy who really deserves an opportunity. He’s been so understanding of playing the role as second fiddle.”

Sydney coach John Longmire said Grundy and assistant coach Dean Cox, former West Coast ruckman, had done some work on Fort ahead of the decider.

“We know tomorrow the first bounce, when they’re standing at each other storylines go out the window and it’s time to get the job done,” he said. “That’s really what it gets down to.”

The Lions have faith in Fort, who last played AFL in round seven and has 35 games across five seasons at Geelong and the Lions.

“Obviously I’m super-disappointed for ‘O’, you guys all know how much he means to the footy club and how well regarded he is throughout the boys,” teammate Cam Rayner said on Friday.

“He’s been preparing himself for this the whole time so I’m pretty confident he’s ready to go.”