Lachie’s recovery fear eased by Lion legend

LACHIE Whitfield has revealed a phone call from Brisbane Lions legend Nigel Lappin has calmed him in the buildup to the grand final.

Lappin, a triple premiership player at the Lions, got up for the 2003 grand final despite carrying fractured ribs and a punctured lung into that year’s decider against Collingwood.

While Whitfield’s appendix operation was not as serious, the similarly disrupted preparation prompted former Giants welfare manager and Lion Craig Lambert to arrange the call.

“He just gave me a little bit of advice on how he got through that week,” Whitfield said.

“I know they’re completely different in terms of injury, but it’s a similar process in terms of getting yourself up for a final.

“He’s a pretty resilient bloke and a really wellspoken guy so it was good to talk to him.”

Whitfield declared he would be “100 per cent” for the big day, but admitted to moments of uncertainty after going under the knife before the preliminary final.

“I was watching it at home on the couch with my mum and I was in a fair bit of pain,” he said. “I was up and down off the couch celebrating every goal and riding every kick. When the final siren went I was full of joy for the team and the fact we were going to be in a grand final, but then an instant sweat came over me thinking, ‘Wait, am I going to be able to play?’

“But on Monday I turned a bit of a corner.”

Whitfield trained at top speed on Friday and took body contact with no issue. “I definitely think I can play my best tomorrow. Every box is ticked,” he said.