Skipper says axe will toughen Swans young gun
THE man who could be a premiership captain by Saturday evening believes Logan Mcdonald’s cruel grand final axing could be the making of him.
With an injury cloud over key forward Sam Reid, the Swans made the call to drop Mcdonald for forward-ruck Hayden Mclean.
Mclean has not been in the senior side since playing the first eight games of the season.
Coach John Longmire declined to say if Reid’s adductor issue was a factor in Mclean’s selection over promising 20year-old Mcdonald.
Longmire declared Reid “ready to go”, meaning emergency Mcdonald’s hopes of a late reprieve appear dashed.
His omission was not a complete shock, given he managed a combined 10 disposals and one goal in Sydney’s two finals.
But co-captain Luke Parker praised the way Mcdonald had taken the “heartbreaking” news.
“The boys have been pretty helpful with Logan. It’s one of the most heartbreaking positions you can be in,” Parker said.
“He’s got such a huge future at our club and hopefully this is just a small little step in the downward for him.
“He’ll take it hard but, at the same time, his attitude has been incredible. He’s still preparing like he’ll play.
“He has big belief in what we can do and no doubt that will hold him in good stead.
“It’s obviously really tough for him but the way he’s handled it has been incredible.”
Longmire conceded that telling Mcdonald he was not going to play in the grand final was “not easy” but said it was a decision made with the team’s best interests at heart.
“I’ve been on the other side of that as a player, so it’s not an easy thing to do,” the coach said.
“He’s a terrific young player with a great future ahead of him, and we made the decision because we thought that was the best line-up for (Saturday) … he’ll bounce back bigger and better. We just have to do the right thing by what the team needs.”