Former GWS Captain Phil Davis has weighed in with his opinion on just how tough it is to be physically and mentally prepared for a Grand Final when under an injury cloud.
Davis, who played in his side's 2019 AFL Grand Final defeat to Richmond, spent the entirety of Grand Final week not knowing if he would play after suffering a calf injury in the Preliminary Final.
The GWS Captain was forced to complete a fitness test on the ground 90 minutes before the bounce to confirm if he was able to play.
Whilst Davis was cleared to play, he noted that the mental side fatigued him far more than the physical side.
MORE: Is Lachie Neale set for Grand Final deja vu as a substitute?
“It is the mental energy it takes,” Davis said on SEN.
“I was doing hyperbaric chambers two times a day, throughout the entire week, all the infra-red stuff, doing all the cryochambers throughout the week,”
“And then everyone is just continually asking about it,”
“I even got door-stopped, I had never been door-stopped in my entire career and Mitch Cleary got me whilst I was leaving the Giants facility on the way to my car.”
Whilst Davis played the game out, he was ultimately beaten by Jack Riewoldt in the Giants' 89-point loss.
It was then later reported that Davis had split a tendon in his calf, an injury that typically results in a six-week recovery, but Davis said he had felt no impact while he was playing.
Davis admitted that Lachie Neale is Brisbane’s best player and he can understand the desire to risk playing him.
However, he believes Brisbane coach Chris Fagan will not take that risk.
“My gut feel is that he wont get there,” Davis said.
“I think that Chris Fagan is incredibly pragmatic and I don't think he appears like a risk taker.”