Brisbane are set to take an unchanged lineup into Saturday’s AFL grand final with Jack Payne set to miss out.
While Payne is the latest heartbreaking selection call for this weekend, Collingwood have also thrown a massive surprise dropping Pat Lipinski to the sub role.
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Payne has been a mainstay of the Lions’ defence this year, playing 23 games before missing the preliminary final with an untimely ankle injury.
7NEWS reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Payne passed all the necessary fitness tests, but the Lions are opting to go with Darcy Gardiner, who will be playing just his fourth game of the season.
Gardiner came in from the cold last week and held Carlton star Charlie Curnow to just one goal in a brilliant performance.
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Jack Payne will not play in the AFL grand final. Credit: AAP
Payne is among the emergencies, but Jarryd Lyons is likely to be the sub after filling that role the past fortnight.
Payne joins Collingwood pair Taylor Adams and Dan McStay as the heartbreak stories of this year’s grand final.
McStay was ruled out after injuring his knee in last week’s win over GWS Giants, while Taylor Adams failed to prove his fitness earlier in the week.
Billy Frampton will come in as McStay’s replacement, while the Pies also confirmed a surprise move on Thursday afternoon with Lipinski named as the starting substitute.
Livewire Jack Ginnivan has been included in the 22 after starting the previous two finals as the sub.
Temperatures in the high 20s are forecast for Saturday and Collingwood are banking on Lipinski’s fresh legs having an impact later in the game.
“Pat’s elite running ability will no doubt inject energy into the game and we look forward to seeing him make an impact on Saturday,” Magpies football boss Graham Wright said in a statement.
John Noble, Finlay Macrae and Harvey Harrison are Collingwood’s other emergencies.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
Collingwood v Brisbane at the MCG, 2.30pm AEST
COLLINGWOOD
In: Ginnivan, Frampton
Out: Lipinski (omitted), McStay (knee)
PF sub: Jack Ginnivan
BRISBANE
In: Nil
Out: Lyons (sub)
PF sub: Jarryd Lyons
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