PUSH TO THE LIMIT

GRAND FINAL FITNESS TEST

JOSH Cowan’s troublesome hamstring was set to be stretched to breaking point last night as the star midfielder tried to prove his fitness for Saturday’s GFL Grand Final.

St Mary’s co-coach, Travis Robertson, confirmed that Cowan, who suffered a hamstring strain in the first semifinal win over Newtown & Chilwell 10 days ago, would be put through a gruelling session that would help determine whether he lined up in the decider against Colac.

Robertson said the Saints’ fitness staff would push him to the limit at Anthony Costa Oval, determined to see whether his dodgy string could stand up to the rigours of a grand final — the club’s fourth in as many seasons.

“We will be pushing him hard,” he said, admitting Cowan could hurt the muscle again.

“He needs to be going full tilt and he’s been a bit off that.

“We can’t be taking any risks. We finished last year’s grand final with three blokes who were done and we don’t want to be doing that again.”

Playing no part in the semifinal after quarter-time, Cowan was at long odds to return against this season.

But scans revealed the 28year-old had only suffered a minor strain, keeping the door ajar for a grand final berth.

St Mary’s brushed archrival St Joseph’s aside in Saturday’s preliminary final, giving Cowan a glimmer of hope.

But Robertson conceded the luckless onballer was up against it, with the Saints likely to go into the grand final unchanged.

“He is a small chance,” he said. “He did some running last night (Monday) at pace, not 100 per cent, but he’ll need to go pretty hard (last night) to put his hand up.

“We’ll put him through the rigours, but he’s still more unlikely than likely at this point in time.”