Hovey fit and raring to go for the big day
BFL GRAND FINAL
STAR Torquay ruckman Josh Hovey has declared himself a certain starter for tomorrow’s grand final after overcoming a quad injury.
Hovey completed the final session at Torquay’s Spring Creek Reserve last night, paving the way for his return after spending the past fortnight on the sidelines. “I’ll definitely play,” he said. “I had a bit of nerve pain in my quad and I wasn’t quite 100 per cent, so we decided to take it easy. The boys did a great job to get up (in the preliminary final) and that allowed me to have the week off and get back to 100 per cent.”
Hovey revealed he felt pain in his quad in the first week of the finals, when Torquay had the bye.
Suspended in Round 18 for one match and subsequently ineligible to play the qualifying final against Geelong Amateur, the 22-year-old had an extra week to prove his fitness.
But he failed to return in the preliminary final against Barwon Heads, casting doubt on his availability this weekend.
“After a couple of weeks it started coming on, so the rest has done me the world of good,” Hovey said.
“I just tried to get through training before Barwon Heads but it wasn’t quite right and we didn’t want to risk it.”
He trained “reasonably lightly” on Tuesday night but ramped things up in the final session last night.
“The physio said it was just a bit of nerve pain, so it’s not something I will aggravate,” he said. “I’m right to go.”
Hovey is likely to line-up in the ruck and will be tasked with the crucial job of stopping matchwinner Hamish Dahl.
“He’s a very good player,” he said.
“I missed the first final, but I played against him both times during the year and he’s a good ruckman, he knows his stuff and it’s a good challenge.”
Hovey will enter his second grand final in three years, having tasted the spoils of a premiership with GFL club St Joseph’s in 2015.
And while he could be pressing for another flag with Joeys, who are favourites to win tomorrow’s second semifinal, he is pleased with his decision to move to the Tigers.
“I’m pretty happy with my decision to come and play at Torquay,” he said.
“I’ve really enjoyed my footy, they’re a great bunch of blokes and I’m content with where I’m at.”
There is a touch of nerves for the big man, but he believes past experience will help.
“You go through the lead PAUL LYNCH Tip: Torquay by 19 points BOG: Paul McMahon RORY NICOL Tip: Geelong Amateur by 8 points BOG: Matt Walsh up and everything that goes with it, so having done that, it will help ease the nerves,” Hovey said.
“If you haven’t played in a senior grand final, you don’t know what to expect and it can be a little bit more nerveracking.”