GRAND MIRACLE
HOW EAST QUICK DEFIED CALF INJURY
EAST Belmont captain Sean O’Neill had put a line through Dave Lineen’s name — and coach Chris Williams was also resigned to the fact that the injured speedster would not be fit for the GCA1 grand final.
But when the call came through on Friday evening — about 18 hours before the first ball was scheduled to be bowled at Stinton Oval — Lineen was stunningly back in the frame.
“I just took a punt,” an elated Lineen said post-match, brandishing a premiership medal.
“I went and saw my physio Peter Stanton on Monday and I said, ‘Is there any chance at all?’ and he gave me a glimmer of hope.
“I went and saw him a few times during the week and he managed to get me up.
“I spent a fair bit of time with him this week, probably more time than my family, but it all worked out.”
Suffering a grade two calf strain while batting in the final homeand-away match of the season, Lineen was in serious doubt to play again this season.
He was ruled out by the club after breaking down at training on Tuesday and no one expected the frontline quick to appear in the decider.
That was until he began running laps of Stinton Oval while play was suspended on Saturday afternoon.
“For him to even play was phenomenal,” O’Neill said.
“We were talking during the week and he said, ‘I’ll be right for the weekend’ and I was pandering to him thinking, ‘Yeah, righto mate’.
“And he was like, ‘Nah, mate, I’m going to be right’.
“Wednesday rolls around and he comes out of the physio and says, ‘I’m on track’. He didn’t come up to training on Thursday because he had to work to cover the hours he’d miss for physio, so we picked our 12 and we included him because he’s very much part of the group.
“Friday afternoon he messages me and said, ‘Physio has said I’m a chance to play. I’m going down to East Belmont now. I’m going to bowl four overs in the nets, come down and watch me and if I get through this and the physio ticks it off, I want you to pick me’.
“At this point, I hadn’t thought any more other than the XI we picked last week was going to be the XI that played in the grand final.”
O’Neill and Williams raced to Winter Reserve and watched Lineen go through his paces.
“I literally thought it was going to be a bloke hobbling in with a grade two calf (strain) and that would be it,” O’Neill said.
“He charged in, pulled up OK and he was in. Chris and I had to make the hard call to let Nathan Frye know (he wasn’t playing).
“It was so hard. I literally broke down. Two minutes after that call I lost it, it was that hard because he’s played every game this year and been a key cog for us. Chris and myself didn’t enjoy it at all.”
Lineen picked up 1-19 from eight overs, setting the scene for a miraculous win.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Lineen said. “I’ve had a pretty hectic three weeks and I don’t know how I’m feeling.”